Defence Ministry 'keeping Close Eye' On HK Unrest

The defence ministry said on Wednesday that it is keeping a close eye on the ongoing turmoil in Hong Kong, as it appeared to confirm that deploying the People's Liberation Army (PLA) to keep order is an option on the table.

Spokesman Wu Qian said at a press conference in Beijing that the ministry is "closely monitoring developments" in the SAR, referring to the weeks of protests over the now-suspended extradition law bill.

Asked whether the PLA could be deployed to help maintain order, Wu said only that Article 14 of Chapter 3 of the Garrison Law has clear stipulations regarding such a scenario.

Article 14 says the SAR government can ask the Hong Kong Garrison to send troops into the city to maintain public order if necessary.

He refused to answer questions from reporters as to what kind of scenario would warrant such a deployment.

Wu also reiterated Beijing's stance that the vandalism of the liaison office on Sunday night, which saw the building pelted with eggs and paint, cannot be tolerated.

"We've been closely monitoring developments in Hong Kong, especially the protest and violence on July 21, as well as the storming of the liaison office. The Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office has already responded earlier that it is not acceptable for anybody to challenge the country's authority and the One Country Two Systems principle," he said.

The spokesman's comments came during a press conference to introduce a new white paper on national defence.