China warns Hong Kong protesters: ‘Those who play with fire will die by it’ as 12,000 police amass near border

Officials say protests push city towards ‘dangerous abyss’ and warn punishment is ‘only a matter of time’

A top Chinese official has issued a stark warning to Hong Kong protesters, saying “those who play with fire will perish by it”, while local media report that 12,000 police performed anti-riot drills near the border.

Yang Guang, a spokesperson for China’s Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office, said the protests are pushing the city towards a “dangerous abyss” and punishment is “only a matter of time”.

In the latest hint that the Chinese government will take a hard line in Hong Kong, Mr Yang said in a document released before a briefing in Beijing: “I would like to warn all of the criminals: don’t ever misjudge the situation and mistake our restraint for weakness.

“At the end of the day, [protesters] will eventually be punished.”

The document singled out a group of “violent criminals” at the front of the protests with “some kind-hearted citizens who have been misguided and coerced to join”.

It also claimed unspecified anti-China forces were behind the protests, accusing them of being “behind-the-scenes masterminds” who had “openly and brazenly emboldened” the protesters.

China has been quick to label US officials as “black hands” instigating unrest in Hong Kong to contain China’s development, but it has not provided any concrete evidence.

Meanwhile, some 12,000 police officers performed anti-riot drills in the nearby city of Shenzhen, just across the border of the special administrative region, the South China Morning Post reported on Tuesday.

Chinese police said on popular Chinese networking platform Weibo that the drill was designed to “increase troop morale” and “maintain national political security and social stability” ahead of the celebrations for the 70th anniversary of the People’s Republic of China on 1 October.

But observers noticed that the drills had unmistakable similarities to the Hong Kong protests.

Officers wore body armour and shields and confronted people wearing black clothes, breathing masks and safety helmets, all of which have become typical among protesters.

Last week, China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA), stationed in Hong Kong, posted a video of soldiers performing similar drills.

The army has remained in barracks during the protests, leaving the police to deal with the protests, but Mr Yang seemed to hint that it could become involved.

He called the PLA “a strong force that defends every inch of its sacred territory”, and said the central government would not allow any “turbulence” beyond the control of the Hong Kong government to threaten national unity or security.

Diplomats and foreign security analysts believe there is little appetite in Beijing to deploy the PLA in Hong Kong.

But the actions appear to be a sign that China has no intention of opening a dialogue with protesters.

Protesters held a televised news conference on Tuesday asking again that the government respond to their demands.

These include the complete withdrawal of the extradition bill, ceasing to describe the demonstrations as riots, the resignation of chief executive Carrie Lam and an independent inquiry into suspected police violence.

“We call on the government to return the power back to the people and to address the demands of Hong Kong citizens,” the protesters said, declining to give their real names.

They said the group “was not affiliated with any political party or organisation” and apologised for the inconvenience caused by a general strike that paralysed the city on Monday.

Police on Monday fired tear gas at protesters after the strike blocked major roads and public transit lines and caused at least 77 flights to be cancelled.

The protests started over an extradition bill that would have allowed people to be sent to mainland China for trial but have now turned into broader unrest against the city’s government and the central government of China.

Hong Kong was once a British colony but was returned to China in 1997 under the “one country, two systems” framework, which stated that the region would retain democratic freedoms that are not seen on the mainland for 50 years.

But many residents fear that freedoms are being eroded under the control of the Chinese Communist Party.

Additional reporting by agencies