Hong Kong: Int’l students rush home as classes canceled

ANKARA

Almost all universities in Hong Kong have cancelled their classes with immediate effect for the first semester of 2019 which is supposed to finish in the first week of December, an academic said.

Talking to Anadolu Agency from Hong Kong, Chien-Yu Shih, who teaches politics and international relations, said that the current ongoing civil conflict has triggered worry among parents of students especially from mainland China.

“Almost all universities cancelled semester,” Chien-Yu Shih said, adding that Hong Kong authority has “lost orientation in tackling the young protesters”.

“Parents of students, especially from mainland China, are worried that their kids would be involved in or hurt in the fight,” he said.

Hong Kong, an autonomous region under China since 1998, is witnessing protests since early June, against the Carrie Lam administration’s move to legalize extradition to mainland China.

The protests have for months left the city reeling, with international financial observers having cut the economic progress of the business hub.

The government has already dumped the bill, but protests continue. However, protesters are demanding prosecution of Hong Kong police for violence.

According to Australia-based ABC News, university students on exchange programs in Hong Kong have been asked to return home as protests paralyzed the once-vibrant business hub.

Dozens of South Korean students have also returned to their country, Hong Kong Free Press reported.

The situation turned volatile since Monday after fierce clashes between police, students and protesters broke out at several university campuses.

The varsities cancelled classes as students poured on roads wearing masks on their face defying the ban.

Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) head said he may ask help from the government if the university could not function due to ongoing occupation of the campus by protesters.

Reacting to violence in Hong Kong, Chinese President Xi Jinping said that ending violence and restoring order remained Hong Kong’s most urgent priority.

“We continue to firmly support the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region led by the chief executive to execute its functions in accordance with the law,” Xi said during his visit to Brazil where he attended 11th BRICS summit.

“We sternly support the Hong Kong police to take forceful actions in enforcing the law, and the Hong Kong judiciary to punish in accordance with the law those who have committed violent crimes,” he added.