Photo:CGTN

Chinese Vice Premier Han Zheng highly praised the work of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) government and the Hong Kong police force, and said the central government firmly supports the SAR government's efforts in stopping violence and chaos and restoring order. 

Han made the remarks during a meeting with Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor in Beijing on Wednesday morning. 

Han said the Hong Kong SAR government led by Lam has done a lot of hard work facing the continuous violence, and the central government highly trusts her to stabilize the situation. Han stressed that the central government has always firmly supported the SAR government and its police force. 

The priority now is to stop the violence, end chaos and restore order, which is also the common responsibility of Hong Kong's administrative, judicial and legislative departments, Han said. 

The continuous violent activities evolved from opposition to an amendment of an extradition bill in June, and have seriously undermined Hong Kong's social order, trampled on the rule of law and challenged the bottom line of the "one country, two systems" principle, Han said. Such extreme violence cannot be tolerated or accepted in any country, he said. 

Han also said the central government will firmly support the Hong Kong government in solving livelihood issues, especially housing issues for low-income residents and young people. 

Han said that the central government has always been a strong backer of Hong Kong's prosperity, stability and people's improved livelihood. 

Lam said that Hong Kong has been greatly harmed by the escalating violence, and she reiterated that the Hong Kong government is firmly determined to stop the violence and chaos and stick to the "one country, two systems" principle. 

Lam arrived in Beijing on Tuesday night after concluding her visit to Shanghai to attend the second China International Import Expo. She will attend the third plenary meeting of the Leading Group for the Development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area on Wednesday afternoon.

Global Times