China's Military Vows to 'Punish' Any Attempts to Separate Hong Kong

The Chinese armed forces vowed to crush any movement backing greater independence for Hong Kong from mainland China rule.

Major General Chen Daoxiang, commander of the People's Liberation Army Hong Kong Garrison, said on state-run television Tuesday that his troops "firmly support" the draft Hong Kong national security law that is being debated at the third session of the thirteenth National People's Congress in Beijing. The bill contains provisions designed to bolster the security apparatus of the semi-autonomous city.

"This decision will help to curb and punish any attempt to jeopardize the national unity, deter separatists and foreign interference, and show our unwavering resolution of safeguarding the national sovereignty and territorial integrity," Chen said about the bill.

He said the garrison personnel will "fully implement the 'one country, two systems' policy," a reference to the ruling framework applied to Hong Kong since its 1997 handover from the United Kingdom.

Critics both within Hong Kong and abroad said they believe the potential law tightens Beijing's grip on the cultural and financial powerhouse, with the United Kingdom, Australia and Canada signing a joint statement Saturday expressing how they were "deeply concerned" about the bill. The United States also has voiced deep opposition.

At a press briefing Tuesday, White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany said she carried a message from President Donald Trump on Chinese actions in regard to Hong Kong.

"He's displeased with China's efforts and it's hard to see how Hong Kong can remain a financial hub if China takes over," McEnany told reporters, declining to elaborate on the president's position.

White House national security adviser Robert O'Brien made a similar remark Sunday on NBC News, saying it would be "hard to see how Hong Kong could remain the Asian financial center that it's become if China takes over."

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo also recently came out against the proposed national security law, warning it "would be a death knell for the high degree of autonomy Beijing promised for Hong Kong under the Sino-British Joint Declaration, a UN-filed agreement" in a statement released Friday.

"Hong Kong has flourished as a bastion of liberty," Pompeo said. "The United States strongly urges Beijing to reconsider its disastrous proposal, abide by its international obligations, and respect Hong Kong's high degree of autonomy, democratic institutions, and civil liberties, which are key to preserving its special status under U.S. law."

The bill's announcement also sparked some of the largest protests in Hong Kong since months-long series of sometimes violent demonstrations against a proposed law allowing for the extradition of Hong Kong criminals to the mainland were paused over novel coronavirus concerns. Washington's active support for these protests marked a major obstacle for improving embattled ties between the U.S. and China who remain locked in a geopolitical and economic feud that Beijing's top diplomat Wang Yi warned Sunday was being pushed "toward a 'new Cold War.'"

Still, the Trump administration has warned of further measures if legislation on Hong Kong is adopted. During his NBC interview, O'Brien suggested potential sanctions could be taken against China if the Hong Kong national security law is implemented.

"China is dependent on capital from the rest of the world, to build their economy and grow their middle class," he said. "They're dependent on liquidity in financial markets. If they lose access of that through Hong Kong, that's a real blow to Xi Jinping and the Chinese Communist Party."

In response, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian told reporters Monday that "China is firmly opposed to the noises made by certain US politicians on the Hong Kong-related agenda of China's National People's Congress and has lodged solemn representations with the US side." He stressed issues related to Hong Kong were internal affairs for China and warned of retaliation.

Asked Tuesday what these Chinese countermeasures could look like, Zhao said it was "too early to answer this question."