Peaceful global rallies reject HK 'independence' violence

Demonstrators in London's Trafalgar Square chant 'one nation, one China'

Overseas Chinese and peace lovers rallied in various cities around the world over the weekend, calling for an end to the violence that has gripped China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region in recent weeks.

On Saturday, hundreds of Chinese students and overseas Chinese in the United Kingdom gathered at London's Trafalgar Square to protest the "independence demonstration" in Hong Kong.

Demonstrators at London's landmark square waved Chinese flags, sang the Chinese national anthem and chanted "no violence" and "one nation, one China".

One said he came to express his support for Hong Kong and its police, and his objection to separatists.

The demonstration was organized after overseas students learned that some Hong Kong "independence" activists were planning a rally, said an overseas student who declined to be named.

"Many people here cannot see the truth we see. What they see is a purposeful message that is changed by some Western media, and they cannot see what is really happening in Hong Kong," he said.

Another student said, "We only have one China. We do not allow and we will not tolerate any forces, or even some Western powers, to split our country."

The demonstrations have spread to Australia, as students in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Adelaide have spilled over onto the streets of cities and university campuses calling for an end to violence in Hong Kong.

On Saturday, around 3,000 people who were mobilized through social media marched peacefully through the streets of Sydney.

Among banners that said "Protect Hong Kong, fight against violence," one of the group's leaders, Tony Jiang, an Australian of Chinese descent, said "We came here to stand against the violent riots and the decaying law and order in Hong Kong," Xinhua News Agency reported.

Chen Jingye, China's ambassador to Australia, issued a statement on Saturday calling the Hong Kong protesters' actions "radical, violent and illegal" and said they were determined to undermine the "one country, two systems" principle.

"Their behavior has grossly trampled on the rule of law and social order in Hong Kong, seriously threatened the local residents' lives and safety, severely jeopardized Hong Kong's prosperity and stability," Chen said.

He said event in Hong Kong was "solely the internal affair of China" and warned foreign governments to not support Hong Kong's radical protesters or interfere.

In the German cities of Berlin, Hamburg and Cologne, peace lovers spontaneously held rallies to show their solidarity and support for Hong Kong over the weekend. Calling for peace and non-violence, Chinese demonstrators chanted slogans such as "We love Hong Kong, we love China".

Pan Mengqi in Beijing contributed to this story.