China’s army can intervene in Hong Kong, says Beijing

China's defense ministry has said the People’s Liberation Army can legally intervene to help Hong Kong to “maintain social order” if requested to do so by the territory’s government, as the Asian financial centre enters its third month of protests.

The rare warning from China’s military comes as Beijing released its first general white paper on defence in four years in which it placed a new emphasis on safeguarding national political security and social stability.

The demonstrations in Hong Kong started as opposition to an extradition bill that would allow suspects to be sent to mainland China for trial and have since expanded to target the territory’s leader, chief executive Carrie Lam, as well as Beijing.

Read the full article and more in The Financial Times.