World

China says no need 'so far' for PlA deployment in HK

AFP

China sees no need “so far” for its Army to be deployed in Hong Kong to contain democracy protests, a Beijing official said on Wednesday, without ruling out the prospect after violent  overnight clashes.

Rumours have frequently swept protest camps that the People’s liberation Army (PlA), which maintains a garrison in the city, will be deployed if Beijing feels Hong Kong authorities cannot handle the demonstrations that erupted more than two weeks ago.

“So far, as I see it, there is no need for it,” the Chinese Government official told a rare briefing in Hong Kong.