Chinese military documents reveal plans to suppress 2014 Hong Kong protests

Classified Chinese military documents have revealed that officials discussed preparing for military intervention to suppress the 2014 Umbrella Movement in Hong Kong. The documents, obtained by Professor Takashi Suzuki of Daito Bunka University, consist of meeting records from the Guangzhou Military Region between October and November 2014.

According to the records, Wei Liang, then political commissar of the Guangzhou Military Region, stated on November 2, 2014, that preparations should be made for military action to respond to the “extreme situation” in Hong Kong. He indicated that the military should be ready to act immediately upon receiving orders to ensure the situation was suppressed. The documents also note that Xi Jinping attended the meetings involving these discussions.

While the documents confirm that military intervention was considered, the records indicate that no actual military action was taken at the time. Analysts suggest the decision to refrain from using force may have been influenced by the international isolation China faced following the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown. The Umbrella Movement, which lasted 79 days, was centered on demands for genuine universal suffrage for Hong Kong's Chief Executive.