Donald Trump: HK crackdown would hurt China trade deal
August 19, 2019
The US president has said that he'd "like to see Hong Kong worked out in a very humanitarian fashion." Trump warned that a Tiananmen Square-style crackdown would damage talks on a US-China trade deal.
Advertisement
Peaceful protest in Hong Kong
02:35
US President Donald Trump has warned that a potential violent crackdown on Hong Kong protesters could damage prospects of a US trade deal with China.
After Hong Kong entered its 11th week of protests on Sunday, Trump called for President Xi Jinping to "sit down" with rally leaders.
"I'd like to see Hong Kong worked out in a very humanitarian fashion…It would be very good for the trade deal," Trump said.
The president's comments came amidst efforts in Washington and Beijing to revive high-level dialogue aimed at ending the US-China trade war.
"I think it would be much harder for me to sign a deal if he (Xi) did something violent in Hong Kong," Trump said, and indicated that settling a deal after a violent crackdown would not sit well among the US public.
Trump also warned China that carrying out a 'Tiananmen Square' style crackdown on Hong Kong pro-democracy supporters would harm the trade deal. "I think there'd be... tremendous political sentiment not to do something," Trump said.
Phone calls are scheduled for the next 10 days between the deputies of China and the US.
Trump's chief economic adviser, Larry Kudlow, said on Sunday that if the phone calls are successful, the next step would be to plan to resume negotiations between more senior officials.
He has not specifically expressed being in favor of the protests but has expressed amazement over the number of protesters and has emphasized that he supports "liberty" and "democracy."
Protesters in Hong Kong feel that such freedoms are being taken away since Xi came to power.
In 1989, student protesters gathered in Tiananmen Square to call for a more democratic government.
After several weeks of protests, Chinese troops entered the square on June 4 and fired on civilians. Estimates of the death toll range from several hundred to thousands. About 10,000 people were arrested during the demonstrations and several dozen were executed.
Last week, The Global Times, China's state-run newspaper, said there "won't be a repeat" of Tiananmen Square in the case of Hong Kong
"China is much stronger and more mature, and its ability to manage complex situations has been greatly enhanced," The Global Times said.
Remembering Tiananmen Square, 1989
Chinese authorities tried to suppress all images of events in and around June 1989 at Beijing's Tiananmen Square. But a few journalists, including AP photographer Jeff Widener, managed to capture historic images.
Image: Jeff Widener/AP
Goddess of Democracy
As the sun rises at Tiananmen Square, protesters build a 10-meter (33-foot) Goddess of Democracy statue out of foam and paper-mache over a metal armature. In the early morning of June 4, soldiers backed by tanks and armored cars toppled the statue, which had stood directly facing the Mao portrait at the Forbidden City.
Image: Jeff Widener/AP
Singing Police Woman
In the often tense days leading up to the Chinese government crackdown, local citizens often gave gifts to soldiers and police officials. Sometimes troops would sing patriotic songs with demonstrators. In this picture, a policewoman sings out loud in Tiananmen Square a few days before troops retook control of the area and crushed the democratic movement.
Image: Jeff Widener/AP
Struggle
A woman is caught in the middle of a scuffle between pro-democracy protesters and People's Liberation Army soldiers near the Great Hall of The People on June 3, 1989, the day before one of the bloodiest military crackdowns of the 20th century. Later that night, the 38th Army would open fire on unarmed civilians overtaking the occupied Tiananmen Square.
Image: Jeff Widener/AP
Captured weapons
Thousands of protesters surround a bus with a display of captured weapons just days prior to the crackdown. During the government's enforcement of martial law, soldiers and the public performed a delicate dance of give and take. Sometimes protesters offered gifts to soldiers and sometimes troops withdrew.
Image: Jeff Widener/AP
Fight for democracy
In the late evening of June 3, a group of protesters cornered an armored personnel carrier at the gates of the Great Hall of The People. It had just crashed through barricades of street dividers, which the crowds had put up to stop the advance of military vehicles. At the same time, soldiers were preparing to open fire on the demonstrators a short distance away.
Image: Jeff Widener/AP
Burning APC
On the late evening of June 3, protestors set fire to an armored personnel carrier on the Chang'an Avenue near Tiananmen Square. The picture was the last image before photographer Jeff Widener was struck in the face by a stray protestor brick. Though he sustained a serious concussion, The Nikon F3 titanium camera absorbed the blow sparing his life.
Image: Jeff Widener/AP
Firing on crowds
On June 4, a truck manned by People's Liberation Army troops patrol down the Chang'an Avenue in front of the Beijing Hotel the day after the bloody crackdown on student-led pro-democracy supporters. A similar truck full of soldiers had shot tourists standing in the lobby of the Beijing Hotel that day.
Image: Jeff Widener/AP
'Tank Man'
A lone man with shopping bags walks to the center of Beijing's Chang'an Avenue and temporarily stops the advance of Chinese tanks a day after the crackdown. Over two decades later, the fate of the man is still a mystery. The incident has come to symbolize the events at Tiananmen Square and is considered one of the most iconic images ever taken.
Image: Jeff Widener/AP
Dead heroes
On June 5, a group of people at the Chang’an Avenue show a picture of protesters lying dead at a local morgue after having been shot by Chinese soldiers of the 38th Army during the recapture of Tiananmen Square. The troops used expanding bullets which created larger wounds. At least 300 civilians were killed, according to Amnesty International.
Image: Jeff Widener/AP
Sweepers
The remains of a burned-out bus on Beijing’s Chang’an Avenue as two women sweep up debris following the massacre. The demonstrations led to widespread burning of buses and military vehicles, which left several soldiers dead or injured.
Image: Jeff Widener/AP
Guarding Mao
Soldiers and a tank stand guard in front of the Forbidden City and across from the occupied Tiananmen Square a few days after the riots.
Image: Jeff Widener/AP
Brothers in arms
Associated Press photographers Jeff Widener (left) and Liu Heung Shing pose in front of Beijing's Forbidden City in late May 1989 just days before the Chinese government's military crackdown at Tiananmen Square.