Ming (not his real name) is a 15-year-old up in Hong Kong. Like some of his fellow teenagers who took part in the protests in 2019, he received some of the equipment used in the protests for free. These include ordinary masks, gas masks and helmets.

Speaking to CGTN's Liu Xin, Ming revealed that some shops received monetary donations from residents who'd leave money with them. Then when young people come to buy, "they'd sometimes give it away for free."

Many in Hong Kong believe that part of the reason behind the fact that especially those youngsters could continue their usually violent behavior for weeks is largely due to the availability of funding.

Former Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal judge Henry Litton said in an interview with the Hong Kong media that "it would surprise me" if the youthful protesters "are not paid."

Litton added: "Because how do they sustain this? Not only paid, but I suspect, if that was so, heavily paid to enable them to actually go out and risk, time and time again."

Agreeing, Hong Kong Securities & Investment Institute former chairman John Maguire said: "Personally, I see this is as part of the trade war. I think that the protesters have got their concerns, but I think it has also been fueled and paid for by American money."

Chinese University of Hong Kong Emeritus Professor Lau Siu-kai said politicians in the United States are keen to encourage and empower the Hong Kong protesters, particularly those who were violent.

"They hope to sustain the terrible situation in Hong Kong so as to turn the city into a pawn against China. This is done not just to weaken Hong Kong's economic value to China, but also to use Hong Kong in the long run as a factor to contain China's rise," said Lau.  

To catch the full CGTN documentary Lost in Hong Kong – Liu Xin's Perspective, please click on the following link: https://news.cgtn.com/news/2020-03-28/Lost-in-Hong-Kong-Liu-Xin-s-Perspective-PdLsVpA4Sc/index.html