Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Chief Executive Carrie Lam promised on Tuesday that the government will make maximum efforts to build a dialogue platform with the public.
Lam was speaking in public for the first time since demonstrations escalated on Sunday.
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Lam said the government is still preparing a dialogue platform and will update the public with the latest progress.
The Hong Kong SAR government is willing to seek dialogue with protesters and hear their feedback, she added.
Violent protesters throw petrol bombs at police line during a demonstration at Tsuen Wan in Hong Kong, China, August 25, 2019. /Reuters Photo
On Saturday, Lam met a group of people seeking to solve the current situation in the Government House, the official residence of the HKSAR chief executive, to share their ideas on how to build a platform for dialogue.
Lam stressed the government's position that there is an independent police complaint council in Hong Kong to handle police complaints and the government will not allow another independent inquiry into the execution of police work.
She said she was confident the government could handle the unrest by itself and she would not give up efforts on building a platform for dialogue.
Lam reiterates zero tolerance for violence
Responding to escalated violence in the weekend demonstration, Lam reiterated there is zero tolerance for violence and the police will thoroughly investigate all unlawful acts.
Over the weekend, demonstrators hurled petrol bombs and bricks at police officers. Twenty-one police officers were wounded and 86 people were arrested for offenses including illegal assembly, possession of weapons and attacking the police. A police officer was forced to fire a warning shot into the air.
"Violence cannot resolve any problems. Violence cannot be lawful and glorified. We will not use violence to end violence, but will use lawful measures to end the mess and restore the social order as soon as possible. This will help to facilitate dialogue and help us to resolve some of the deep-rooted problems in the society, such as in economy and people's livelihood," Lam stressed.
Starting the dialogue doesn't mean tolerating the violence. If we tolerate violence, it will be the end of the rule of law, she continued.
Lam said the families of the police have suffered harassment, threats and intimidation. She called for protection of the families, especially the children.
Expert: Defending rule of law to prevent violence is top priority
In the current situation in Hong Kong, putting an end to violence is a top priority, current affairs commentator Victor Gao told CGTN.
"When people do protest and demonstrations, they need to do it legally. That means when the police give permission to the legal and lawful protests, they will normally set a limit on time and space. Protesters cannot violate police's regulation. Otherwise, it will carry legal consequences," explained the expert.
When everyone is abiding by the law in Hong Kong, everyone becomes a beneficiary. When rule of law is sabotaged, everyone in Hong Kong will become a victim, said Gao.
The central government in Beijing has expressed full support for Lam and her government in Hong Kong. This will be enough for Hong Kong SAR government to carry on whatever that is necessary to restore law and order in the city, he continued.
However, in accordance to the Basic Law and "One Country, Two Systems", the central government does have right to step in on certain circumstances when it's absolutely necessary, said the expert.