12 October 2014 Last updated at 06:31 ET
Protesters’ tents block a key thoroughfare in Admiralty district, 12 Oct
Hong Kong’s Chief Executive CY Leung has insisted China will not change its mind on the format for elections in 2017, despite weeks of protests.
In a TV interview, he said the protests had “spun out of control” and did not rule out the use of force to end them.
The pro-democracy protests have brought thousands on to the streets, paralysing parts of Hong Kong.
China has agreed to direct elections in 2017, but wants control over which candidates can stand.
The number of protesters has varied over the past three weeks, but hundreds remain camped out on Gloucester and Harcourt roads, blocking a key thoroughfare in Hong Kong Island’s Central and Admiralty districts.
‘Minimum force’
Mr Leung told TVB on Sunday that Beijing would not change its mind on the election format.
He said: “In achieving universal suffrage in 2017, if the prerequisite is to put down the Basic Law and the decision made by the National People’s Congress Standing Committee, I believe we all know that the chance is almost zero.”
The Basic Law is Hong Kong’s mini-constitution and came into effect after the former British colony was handed back to China in 1997.
It states that “the ultimate aim is the selection of the chief executive by universal suffrage upon nomination by a broadly representative nominating committee in accordance with democratic procedures”.
It was the NPC Standing Committee’s decision on the make-up of that nominating committee that sparked the protest movement.
The protesters say the format will give Beijing control over which candidates stand.
When asked about the protest camps, Mr Leung said: “We’ve resorted to all kinds of persuasions… We absolutely would not prefer clearing the venue, but if one day the venue has to be cleared, I believe the police will use their professional judgement and training using minimum amount of force.
“We don’t want to see our people and our students get hurt.”
Mr Leung said again that he would not resign and that the protest movement had “lost control”.
