BEIJING: China accused US officials on Tuesday (Jun 23) of being behind violent protests in Hong Kong and advised them to remove their "black hands" from the territory.

"We can see that US officials are even behind such incidents," said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying at a regular press briefing.



"So can the officials tell the world what role did they play and what are their aims?”



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Hong Kong has been gripped by weeks of protests against a Bill that would allow people to be extradited from the city to stand trial in courts in mainland China.



On Sunday, some protesters vandalised Beijing's main office in the city.

Separately, groups of men in white T-shirts, who opposition politicians suspect were linked to Hong Kong criminal gangs, assaulted some pro-democracy protesters and commuters at a train station in Yuen Long.



When asked about the US and Britain's criticism of the violence, Hua said: "The US should know one thing, that Hong Kong is China's Hong Kong, and we do not allow any foreign interference.

"We advise the US to withdraw their black hands."

Hong Kong returned to Chinese rule in 1997 under a "one country, two systems" formula that allows freedoms not enjoyed in the mainland, including freedom to protest and an independent judiciary.

But many in Hong Kong resent what they see as Beijing's creeping control and its refusal to let its residents directly elect their leader.

China denies interfering in Hong Kong and has warned that the violent protests over the proposed legislation allowing extraditions to mainland China were an "undisguised challenge" to the formula under which it is ruled.