中国警告称，香港日益激烈的抗议活动可能引发恐怖主义，中国官员怀疑美国在引发不满方面发挥了作用。
中国国务院港澳事务办公室发言人杨光周一对最近发生在香港几个警察局的汽油弹袭击事件表示“深切愤慨和强烈谴责”，香港几个警察局遭到数月来反对北京支持的政府的示威活动的袭击。他赞扬了警察的表现，据报道其中一些人在袭击中受伤，并升级了反对抗议的官方言论。
杨说:“在过去几天里，香港激进示威者多次用极其危险的工具袭击警察，这已经构成严重的暴力犯罪，并开始显示出恐怖主义的迹象。”。
“这严重违反了香港的法治和社会秩序，”他补充说，他认为，“必须毫不犹豫、毫不留情地依法坚决打击暴力犯罪。”
中国国务院港澳事务办公室发言人杨光8月12日在北京举行的新闻发布会上发表讲话。国务院港澳事务办公室
香港的抗议最初是为了回应今年2月出台的一项法案，该法案将允许香港居民被中央政府引渡，此举激怒了那些寻求香港特别行政区更多自治权的人。即使该法案暂停实施，抗议者也呼吁进行政治改革，并要求香港行政长官林郑月娥下台。
自1997年英国移交控制权以来，作为“一国两制”政策的一部分，北京方面一再表示支持林毅夫及其政府稳定这座城市的努力。然而，随着最近的冲突恶化，官员们也警告说军队可以被派遣进来恢复秩序。
与此同时，美国和英国公开支持示威游行，这让中国更加沮丧。北京方面指出，美国副总统迈克·彭斯、国务卿麦克·庞贝和白宫国家安全顾问约翰·博尔顿会见香港反对派支持者以及美国国旗出现在集会上，这些都是外国干涉的证据。
“美国一直提出各种与香港有关的指控，这些指控肆意歪曲事实，具有煽动性。一些美国高级政治家和外交官员在香港会见和接触反华煽动者，无理批评中国，支持暴力和非法活动，破坏香港的繁荣和稳定。这些事实太明显了。我想再次问美国这个问题:你对香港的行为背后的真正意图是什么？”中国外交部发言人华春莹周一告诉记者。
“我需要再次强调一个显而易见的事实。香港是中国的一部分，它的事务完全是中国的内政。我们敦促美国遵守国际法和国际关系的基本准则，立即停止干涉中国内政。
8月3日，抗议者聚集在香港尖沙咀，手持美国国旗，反对一项计划中的引渡法，该法已演变为一场更广泛的改革运动。随着抗议变得越来越暴力，中国已经指出美国国旗的出现是外国参与的证据。黄宜弘/法新社/盖蒂图片社
美国基本上否认了这些指控，但国务院发言人摩根·奥尔塔格斯猛烈抨击中国，称其为“非法移民”残暴的政权“周四，一家亲北京的报纸刊登了美国外交官朱莉·埃代赫(Julie Eadeh)与香港年轻反对派领导人会面的照片。奥尔塔格斯还指责中国官员泄露了埃代赫及其家人的个人信息。
周一，华盛顿驻香港领事馆向美国公民发布了一条新消息，指出香港国际机场因抗议活动暂停了所有进出香港的航班。声明称，示威“以及政府对随后抗议的处理越来越具有对抗性。”
周三，由于中美关系进一步复杂化，该市的旅游咨询被国务院提升至2级或“提高警惕”。
由于世界两大经济体之间持续的贸易战，华盛顿和北京之间的关系已经紧张起来。唐纳德·特朗普总统宣布对价值高达2500亿美元的中国商品征收25%的关税，对价值3000亿美元的额外商品征收10%的关税，北京方面正在采取报复措施。
CHINA WARNS OF 'TERRORISM' IN HONG KONG PROTESTS, SAYS U.S. IS SUPPORTING IT
China has warned of potential terrorism arising from increasingly violent protests in Hong Kong, where Chinese officials suspected the United States has played a role in stoking discontent.
Yang Guang, a spokesperson for the Chinese State Council's Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office, expressed "deep indignation and strong condemnation" Monday at recent petrol bomb attacks that struck several police stations across Hong Kong, which has been hit by months of demonstrations against the city's Beijing-backed government. He praised the performance of police, some of whom were reportedly injured in the attacks, and escalated the official rhetoric against the protests.
"In the past few days, Hong Kong's radical demonstrators have repeatedly attacked police officers with extremely dangerous tools, which already constitutes serious violent crimes and has begun to show signs of terrorism," Yang said.
"This is a gross violation of the rule of law and social order in Hong Kong," he added, arguing that "violent crimes must be resolutely cracked down in accordance with the law, without hesitation or mercy."
Chinese State Council Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office spokesperson Yang Guang addresses a press conference in Beijing, August 12.HONG KONG AND MACAO AFFAIRS OFFICE/CHINESE STATE COUNCIL
Hong Kong's protests initially came in response to a bill introduced in February that would allow the city's residents to be extradited by the central government, angering those who seek more autonomy for the special administrative region. Even with the bill being suspended, protesters have called for political reforms and for Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam to step down.
Beijing has repeatedly come out in support of Lam and her administration's efforts to stabilize the city, which has been under China as part of a "one country, two systems" policy since control was handed over by the United Kingdom in 1997. As the latest clashes worsened, however, officials have also warned that troops could be sent in to restore order.
Meanwhile, the U.S. and the U.K. have openly endorsed the demonstrations, further frustrating China. Beijing has pointed to Washington figures such as Vice President Mike Pence, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and White House national security adviser John Bolton meeting Hong Kong opposition supporters and the presence of U.S. flags at rallies as evidence of foreign interference.
"The U.S. has been making various Hong Kong-related accusations that are wanton, fact-distorting and inflammatory. Some senior U.S. politicians and diplomatic officials met and engaged with anti-China rabble-rousers in Hong Kong, criticized China unreasonably, propped up violent and illegal activities and undermined Hong Kong's prosperity and stability. These facts are only too obvious. I'd like to ask the US this question again: what is the true intention behind your behaviors relating to Hong Kong?" Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying told reporters Monday.
"I need to reemphasize a plain truth. Hong Kong is part of China, and its affairs are entirely China's internal affairs. We urge the U.S. to observe international law and the basic norms governing international relations, and to stop interfering in China's internal affairs at once," she added.
Protesters hold a U.S. flag as they gather in Tsim Sha Tsui in Hong Kong, August 3 in opposition to a planned extradition law that has evolved into a wider movement for reforms. As protests grew increasingly violent, China has pointed to the appearance of U.S. flags as evidence of foreign involvement.PHILIP FONG/AFP/GETTY IMAGES
The U.S. has largely dismissed these charges, but State Department spokesperson Morgan Ortagus lashed out at China, calling it a "thuggish regime" Thursday after a pro-Beijing newspaper published a photograph of U.S. diplomat Julie Eadeh of the consulate's political affairs section meeting with young opposition leaders in Hong Kong. Ortagus also accused Chinese officials of leaking personal information about Eadeh and her family.
On Monday, Washington's consulate in Hong Kong issued a new message to U.S. citizens, noting that Hong Kong International Airport had suspended all incoming and outgoing flights due to protests at the site. The statement said both the demonstrations "and the government's handling of the ensuing protests have increasingly turned confrontational."
On Wednesday, the city's travel advisory was upgraded to a level 2 or "Exercise Increased Caution" by the State Department due to the turmoil further complicating U.S.-China relations.
Ties between Washington and Beijing are already strained due to an ongoing trade war between the world's top two economies. President Donald Trump has announced a 25 percent tariffs on up to $250 billion worth of Chinese goods and 10 percent on an additional $300 billion worth, with Beijing taking retaliatory measures.
