China media: Hong Kong stand-off

As protests continue, mainland media say the economy could be hit

As protesters continue to blockade key streets in Hong Kong, mainland media warn of the potential economic impact and accuse demonstrators of harming local interests.

Most Chinese-language papers offer little or no coverage of the protests but the main state outlets are publishing reports.

Xinhua News Agency on Tuesday said that "all sectors in Hong Kong" oppose the pro-democracy movement.

"Occupy Central has seriously affected the economy and normal life, all sectors in Hong Kong are appealing that order must be restored," says one such report.

Another report says that "Hong Kong society is calling for the mastermind of Occupy Central to be punished by law".

Noting that the Hong Kong police have been criticised for using tear gas on protesters, one report defends police, saying they used "minimum force" and had "no choice".

'Tide will turn'

In its editorial, Global Times suggests that the central and Hong Kong governments "exercise a certain degree of restraint in handling the shutdown of the city's financial areas, so as to leave some time for local people to realise the harm done by the protesters' illegal acts".

"If the oppositionists continue their Occupy campaign, they will bring more inconvenience to local people, the investment environment will be harmed, and the stock market and foreign exchange market will slip. These will all hurt local people's interests, leaving holes in the promises raised by the oppositionists," it says.

Emphasising that the central government "will not step back", the daily points out that the campaign is unlikely to "turn into a crisis in the mainland" as the "majority of mainlanders back the central government's Hong Kong policies".

"After Hong Kong people see it clearly that the central government will not change its mind, they will recognise the dramas staged by the oppositionists are just making things worse. The tide will turn against the oppositionists," says the article.

Without referring to developments in Hong Kong, another article on the paper's website lists opinions of several experts warning that "the Chinese should stop fantasising about American-style democracy".

Echoing similar views, the China Daily highlights complaints of Hong Kong residents over disruption to their daily routine.

The paper's editorial notes that the "Occupy Central" campaign is "beginning to rattle Hong Kong's financial markets" and urges reason "to prevail again over recklessness".

"The events unfolding on the streets of Hong Kong have clearly demonstrated that street politics won't contribute to democratic development. Rather, they are undermining rule of law - a key cornerstone for democratic development, as well as social stability - the foundation of the city's economic prosperity," says the paper.

While there has been no mention of the protests on the domestic print edition of the People's Daily, the overseas version of the paper says preparations are under way for the 1 Oct National Day celebrations in Hong Kong, where "all sectors" are "singing praises for the changes in the motherland" and "appreciate the motherland's culture".

'Take a step back'

Meanwhile, views in Hong Kong media outlets continue to be split as the protests enter a third day.

Blaming the protesters for provoking police and blocking traffic, the pro-Beijing Hong Kong-based Ta Kung Pao daily criticises the opposition camp and some Hong Kong media outlets for "exaggerating police violence".

The paper points out that the activists are the "common enemy of all law-abiding residents" and "the protesters are not as harmless and defenceless as they may seem".

Voicing strong support for the protesters, the pro-democracy Apple Daily lambasts the central and Hong Kong governments and calls for Chief Executive CY Leung to step down "as the first step to soothe the crisis".

The Ming Pao daily, however, urges calm and suggests that the opposition group and the government "take a step back" and refrain from further conflicts.

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