Hong Kong protests can cause havoc, warns China

Beijing: Terming the pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong as "illegal", China on Saturday warned that the agitation that has paralysed the city would end up creating havoc in the former British colony.

Democracy and the rule of law are interdependent, and a democracy without the rule of law will only bring havoc, a new commentary in the ruling Communist Party of China's (CPC) People's Daily said.

In recent days, protests have been staged in Hong Kong in the name of seeking "real universal suffrage," causing traffic jams, fewer tourists, the stock market plunging and the suspension of schools and stores. "All these chaotic scenes have caused worries and irritation among Hong Kong citizens," excerpts of the commentary carried by state-run Xinhua news agency said.

The former British colony which was integrated with China in 1997 is governed by Beijing under the 'one country, two systems' principle. The agitators opposed rules to vet the contestants for the 2017 elections for the Chief Executive. The week-long agitation in which thousands of students and youth took part was seen as a big setback for efforts to integrate it with the mainland. While the Chinese government is virtually closed due to the week-long National Day holiday since October 1, official media attacked the agitators alleging that they damaged the interests of Hong Kong and the wide extent of losses the financial hub suffered.