CHIEF Executive (CE) of China’s Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Carrie Lam yesterday said that the violent acts these days have sent Hong Kong into “a very dangerous situation,” vowing to stop violence with utmost determination and resolution.

Before presiding over a regular Executive Council meeting, Lam told the press that such violent acts are “lawless and bottomless” and completely disregarded law and order.

After the HKSAR Government established an anti-mask law last Friday, masked rioters and vandals carried out severe and massive sabotage acts across various districts in Hong Kong, vandalizing and paralyzing the entire Mass Transit Railway (MTR) system that carry 5 million trips of residents and visitors on an average day.

One man and a woman, who were arrested for one count of violation to the Prohibition on Face Covering Regulation and one count of unlawful assembly early Sunday, had their cases heard in Eastern Magistracy on Monday morning.

Thugs and villains also wrecked and looted selective stores that have presence in or links with the Chinese mainland, beat up residents who disagreed with them and illegally blocked roads and intercepted vehicles to check their identity cards.

Preliminary data from the HKSAR Government showed the number of tourists to Hong Kong dove 30 to 40 percent in September from the same period last year, while the number of visitors plunged more than half year on year during the first six days of October, previously known as the Golden Week for businesses.

As violence and rioting escalated, many shopping malls and stores in Hong Kong were forced to close early in the past four months, with the occupancy rate of hotels falling by 28 percent year on year in August.

Lam said the HKSAR Government will provide cuts in taxes and rents and offer unemployment allowance to those affected industries and residents.

Lan yesterday also urged foreign politicians to take an objective view of the current situation in Hong Kong and stop supporting those who are committing violence.

In response to former governor of Hong Kong Chris Patten’s recent remarks on the Prohibition on Face Covering Regulation of the HKSAR, Lam said, “I hope foreign politicians, before making comments on Hong Kong, can take an objective view of what’s happening here and recognize its essence.” 

(Xinhua)