More hardline measures to come from Hong Kong govt, not Beijing; PLA deployment unlikely for now, say experts

BEIJING - The approach towards the protests that have gripped Hong Kong for over four months will get more hardline but these would involve measures taken by the Hong Kong government, not Beijing, said experts.

They believe the deployment of People's Liberation Army (PLA) troops or the People's Armed Police, a paramilitary force, to quell the unrest remains a remote possibility despite the provocation by protesters on Sunday (Oct 6).

A few hundred protesters gathered at the PLA barracks in the city on Sunday night and shone laser pointers at troops.

It drew a response from Chinese soldiers, who held up a warning sign in English and Chinese - it was the first direct interaction between protesters and the troops garrisoned in the city. The warning said: "You are in breach of the law. You may be prosecuted."

The soldiers also turned on the spotlight at protesters and monitored them with binoculars and cameras, reported Reuters. The protesters eventually dispersed.

Deputy dean of Tsinghua University's School of Social Sciences Zhao Kejin said that despite the provocations by protesters, it was not going to change the central government's "very clear" policy on Hong Kong.

"Hong Kong's issues will be dealt with by the Special Administrative Region's government and the Hong Kong police force. Unless foreign military forces interfere, the PLA garrison will not take part in Hong Kong's internal matters. These will be handled by the police," said Professor Zhao.

Under Hong Kong's Basic Law, soldiers from the mainland are allowed to be stationed in the city for defence. It also allows the Hong Kong government to ask Beijing to deploy troops to assist in maintaining public order.

Hong Kong experienced yet another weekend of violence as thousands took to the streets in defiance of a ban on using face masks at public assemblies.

The Hong Kong government last Friday resorted to colonial-era emergency legislation to impose the ban. The move, which came just days after China celebrated its national day, garnered strong support on the mainland.

"The masked protesters use violence to destroy public property, this is not freedom of expression, this is illegal and violent," said Prof Zhao.

The Straits Times reported last Saturday that the mask ban likely marked the start of a more hardline approach to dealing with the unrest in the city.

Prof Lau Siu Kai, vice-president of the Chinese Association of Hong Kong and Macau Studies, a semi-official advisory body set up by Beijing, said the anti-mask legislation "may be the beginning of a process of introducing more stringent measures".

Under Hong Kong's Emergency Regulations Ordinance, which was last used in deadly riots in the 1960s, gives the city's chief executive power to enact rules without going through the legislature.

Outlining some of the measures the government could take, Prof Lau said the law also allowed the government to shut media outlets that advocate violence.

It could also lengthen the amount of time for police to hold onto suspects, beyond the 48 hours that they are currently allowed, before charging them with a criminal offence or releasing them.

Another option that is reportedly on the cards is a curfew.

The police could also use more live ammunition, he said. Already, two protesters have been shot by the police over the past week.

Prof Lau added that while these measures might trigger more protests initially, the city's government believed it would help quell the unrest over time.

"The situation might be getting more violent and Beijing is getting more and more impatient, but still Beijing will depend on the Hong Kong government," he said.