China Daily/ANN - Senior ASEAN officials are calling for the peaceful resolution of the protests that have rattled Hong Kong for the past months.
"Violence will not solve the problem," said Kung Phoak, Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) deputy secretary-general for the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community, at a briefing held on the sidelines of Sept 4's symposium on sustainable development goals in Hanoi.
Phoak called for a peaceful dialogue and said he hoped that the rule of law will prevail and that "normalcy will be restored" as soon as possible in one of key Asia's financial centers.
Also at the media briefing, China's Ambassador to ASEAN Huang Xilian said the Hong Kong protest is also a cause of concern for ASEAN as Hong Kong SAR is a key trading partner of the regional bloc.
He said that the protesters have the freedom to voice out their concerns, but violence is not to be tolerated and there are some "forces behind the scene that flare up tension in Hong Kong."
"What is important is to stop violence and promote understanding," Huang said.
Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor announced late on Sept 4 the withdrawal of the extradition law amendment bill, which sparked the weeks-long protest in Hong Kong. The withdrawal is expected to ease tensions and pave the way for a dialogue.
