A group of pro-government supporters demonstrated outside the US Consulate in Central, accusing the Americans of inciting protests against using Hong Kong as a battleground in their trade war with China, RTHK reports.

Several dozen people rallied outside the consulate accused the US of also inciting mass protests against the extradition law changes proposed by the Hong Kong government.

Members of three groups – the Federation of Hong Kong Kowloon New Territories Hawker Associations, Hong Kong Southern District Alliance and Real Hongkongers’ Views – said they wanted Americans to stay out of the internal affairs of Hong Kong.

They said foreign powers are colluding with local dissidents to incite public anger, with an aim to use it as a bargaining chip in the Sino-US trade war.

“The United States had undermined Hong Kong’s system and interfered with our internal affairs,” Real Hongkongers’ View spokesman Jason Lam said. “It was a clear disregard of facts.”

Lam noted Consul General Kurt Tong had criticized the Hong Kong government on “multiple occasions” - including when the pro-independence Hong Kong National Party was banned, disqualified some candidates and for refusing some Chinese dissidents from entering Hong Kong.

“I am worried Hong Kong will become a battleground for the trade war,” Lam added. “What they are doing would not only mess Hong Kong up, but also damage US citizens' interests.”

Some of the demonstrators had marched from Charter Garden in Central to the consulate.-Photo: RTHK

