HONG KONG (Reuters) - Hong Kong would have been crushed by the Chinese military if it had not interfered with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping, US President Donald Trump said on Saturday, referring to protests there for months.
"From Doni, Hong Kong would have been crushed in 14 minutes," Trump told Fox News. "He (Xi Jinping) has one million troops stationed outside Hong Kong and they didn't enter because I asked him to."
Trump stressed that his country stands with freedom and with the people of Hong Kong, but it is about to conclude the largest trade exchange agreement in history with China.
"You will make a serious mistake. This will have a very negative impact on the trade agreement," he said, referring to a conversation he had with the Chinese president.
Trump's comments came two days after the US Congress adopted a resolution supporting the pro-democracy movement that has rocked the city for six months.
The draft, now awaiting President Donald Trump's signature into law, supports universal suffrage, abstention from arbitrary detention and imposes sanctions on those who violate these principles.
Hong Kong's movement began nearly six months ago to protest a bill allowing extradition to China, which has raised fears China is seeking to curb the city's freedoms.
Millions of angry citizens took to the streets and blocked the Harak transport network, which has expanded to demand fair elections and investigate violent police practices, demands rejected by Beijing-appointed Hong Kong leaders.
The movement recently focused on the campus of the Polytechnic University in Hong Kong, and was marred by violent clashes between police who fired tear gas and rubber bullets at protesters who responded with arrows and throwing Molotov cocktails.