2. HOW DID HKSAR GOVERNMENT RESPOND?

While proposing the ordinance amendments, the HKSAR government said it has dealt with the matter with caution, paid close attention to the concerns of the society, and taken concrete steps to ease their concerns.

Additional human rights protections to the bill were also introduced.

On June 15, HKSAR Chief Executive Carrie Lam announced that the HKSAR government would suspend the legislative amendments until further communication and explanation work is completed.

After the amendments were completely halted, Hong Kong's opposition and some radical forces continued to use the situation to incite anger through a series of more violent protests that sent Hong Kong into chaos.

They vandalized public facilities, besieged police stations, obstructed metro lines, attacked police officers, beat up people, and caused tremendous turmoil at the Hong Kong International Airport, affecting the normal lives of ordinary Hong Kong people and hundreds of thousands of passengers.

Some opposition figures and radical protesters went even further to drum up "Hong Kong independence" and shouted slogans like "Liberate Hong Kong, revolution of our times."

As the situation worsened, the HKSAR government condemned the violent acts, called for law and order, and warned that extreme violence is pushing Hong Kong to a "very dangerous situation."

On Aug 13, Lam said the most urgent task for Hong Kong at the moment is to stop violence and safeguard the rule of law, to prevent Hong Kong from sinking into "an abyss and being smashed to pieces."

"Only when all calm down, will genuine dialogue, fixing the rift and restoring social harmony, begin," Lam said.

On Aug 20, Lam said the HKSAR government would start work immediately on building a platform for dialogue among all walks of life.

She hoped that all sides could show understanding and respect toward each other, and conduct dialogues openly and directly with people of all classes with different political stances and backgrounds, in a bid to find a way out for Hong Kong.