WEB DESK
Chinese president has issued a warning against dissent, saying any attempt to divide China will end in “bodies smashed and bones ground to powder”.
Xi Jinping’s comments came during a state visit to Nepal on Sunday, Chinese state broadcaster CCTV said.
He didn’t mention any particular region but it was seen as a warning to Hong Kong, where anti-Beijing protests have been ongoing for months.
Peaceful rallies in Hong Kong again descended into clashes on Sunday.
Public transport stations and shops deemed to be pro-Beijing were damaged.
“Anyone who attempts to split any region from China will perish, with their bodies smashed and bones ground to powder,” Mr Xi said, according to a foreign ministry statement issued on Sunday.
Since the start of the Hong Kong protest movement four months ago, China has blamed “external forces” for fuelling the unrest, and accused the US and UK of interfering in Chinese domestic affairs.