People’s Liberation Army soldiers at Stonecutters Island naval base in Hong Kong last month. Source: NYT/Reuters
News.com.au: Chinese forces gathering at Hong Kong border, White House officials monitoring escalation
The White House is monitoring the sudden gathering of Chinese forces at the border with Hong Kong, in a worrying sign of escalation.
The White House is monitoring the sudden “congregation” of Chinese forces at the border with Hong Kong, according to reports, following another night of unrest and clashes between protesters and police.
A senior US official who briefed reporters on the condition of anonymity said a number of units had gathered, but it’s unclear if they are security police or part of China’s military, Bloomberg reports.
It comes as Beijing accused the United States of inciting the increasingly unruly protests in Hong Kong, which began two months ago over a proposed extradition bill that could see citizens sent to the mainland.
Since then, demonstrations have evolved into a statement against Beijing’s influence in the operation of the relatively autonomous region.
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Update #1: White House Eyeing Chinese Forces Gathered on Hong Kong Border (Bloomberg)
Update #2: Crackdown Coming? China Gathers Forces On Hong Kong Border Amid Unrest (Zero Hedge)
WNU Editor: There is already a China military presence in Hong Kong. But to have a real impact on stopping the protests, the Chinese will need to deploy tens of thousands of soldiers, a deployment that will be quickly picked up by foreign intelligence services before it happens. What's my take. Beijing is not mentally prepared to send in military forces to crush the current protests in Hong Kong. But if these protests continue for another month, the option of using military force to crush the protests will be on the table, and they will use it.
