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Chinese troops are gathering at the Hong Kong border, White House says, amid fears of a more brutal crackdown on protesters

A US official said Washington was monitoring a 'congregation' of Chinese forces

The official also said there could be a build-up of military troops or armed police

Comes after Beijing said the protests in Hong Kong were 'the work of the U.S.'

Beijing last week warned its army could be deployed in Hong Kong at request

New rounds of clashes broke out last night between demonstrators and police

Conflict was due to news that 44 protesters had been charged with rioting

The White House has said that it is monitoring a sudden 'congregation' of Chinese forces at the border of Hong Kong, according to reports, amid fears that Beijing could step up their control over the city's unrest which has escalated to unprecedented level.

A White House official, who wished to remain anonymous, told journalists that there could be a build-up of military troops or armed police at the border between mainland China and Hong Kong without giving further details, reported Bloomberg.

Hong Kong has been rocked by protests over the past two months against a proposed bill that would allow people to be extradited from the city to stand trial in Communist Party-controlled courts in mainland China.

The White House has said that it was monitoring a sudden 'congregation' of Chinese forces at the border of Hong Kong. China has maintained a garrison in Hong Kong (pictured) since 1997

An anonymous Washington official told journalists that there could be a build-up of military troops or armed police without giving further details, according to a report from Bloomberg

Hong Kong and the mainland Chinese city of Shenzhen shares a 37-kilometre (22-mile) borderThe mass display of opposition to the bill has morphed into a wider pro-democracy movement that has thrown down the most significant challenge to Beijing's authority since the former British colony returned to Chinese rule in 1997.

Hong Kong and the mainland Chinese city of Shenzhen shares a 37-kilometre (22-mile) border.

Around 230,000 people travel between the two cities a day through Luohu, a major land checkpoint linking Shenzhen to Hong Kong, according to official statistics.

Authorities of Shenzhen, a metropolis of about 12 million people, last week had giant images of the Chinese national flag cast on skyscrapers facing Hong Kong to warn the city's protesters, whom Beijing has labelled as radical and violent.

China stages military drill in Hong Kong amidst protests

Chinese defence ministry spokesman Wu Qian (pictured in 2017) said at a news conference in Beijing that the ministry has been 'paying close attention' to the situation in Hong Kong

The PLA has maintained a garrison in Hong Kong since the city's return to China in 1997, but its troops generally keep a low profile and are rarely seen in uniform in public

The speculation of a military presence on the border came after Beijing this week suggested that the United States had been plotting the unrest in the Asian financial hub, which has entered its eighth week.

China's foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying yesterday said that the recent violent protests in Hong Kong were 'the work of the U.S.'.

She reiterated that Beijing would not allow any foreign forces to interfere in the country's internal affairs.

Hua's remarks came after US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said China should 'do the right thing' in dealing with protests in the territory, urging all sides to avoid violence.

Chinese city projects national flag on skyscrapers facing Hong Kong

Around 230,000 people travel between the two cities a day through Luohu (pictured), a major land checkpoint linking Shenzhen to Hong Kong, according to official statistics

Viral footage from China's Twitter-like Weibo shows authorities of Shenzhen casting images of the national flags on buildings on the waterfront to urge Hong Kong to stay loyal to Beijing

Pro-Beijing supporters hold red umbrellas and a Chinese national flag during a counter-rally in support of police in Hong Kong on July 20. The former British colony has seen a political crisis

The White House's claims also emerged after Beijing last week warned that its army could be deployed in Hong Kong if the city's authorities requested support in maintaining 'public order'.

China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) has maintained a garrison in Hong Kong since the former British colony was returned to China in 1997, but its troops generally keep a low profile and are rarely seen in uniform in public.

Late last month after Hong Kong was rocked by the first wave of protests, the PLA conducted a live-ammunition military exercise in the city in a show of military might.

The high-profile drill, conducted by the PLA's land, naval and air forces at three bases in Hong Kong, was said to be part of an open day event marking the 22nd anniversary of Hong Kong's handover from Britain to China.

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A women (central) leaves the Eastern District Court after facing a riot charge. The accused included a teacher, a nurse, an airline pilot, a barber, a chef, an electrician, a construction worker and unemployed people, according to their charge sheets

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Demonstrators chant slogans as they gather outside the Eastern Court in Hong Kong. The city's police said last yesterday that 44 people, aged between 16 and 41, had been charged with rioting and one other with possessing offensive weapons

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A protester holds a placard that reads: 'No rioters, only tyranny' while chanting slogans as they gather outside the Eastern Court in Hong Kong. The vast majority of the accused individuals showed up in court this morning and were granted bail

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A women (central) arrives at the Eastern District Court to face a riot charge from recent clashes between protesters and police. The announcement of their charges sparked another night of unrest on the streets of the former British Colony

A man (central) leaves the Eastern District Court after facing a riot charge from recent clashes between protesters and police. 43 of the defendants were said to have appeared in court and an arrest warrant had been issue for a 44th who didn't show up

Earlier this month, the PLA reportedly carried out an anti-riot drill in Zhanjiang, a city near Hong Kong, to prepare soldiers for 'emergency situations'.

Reports have suggested that China's central government was working on an urgent plan to resolve Hong Kong's ongoing political crisis, but officials had ruled out the use of military force.

Dozens of Hong Kong pro-democracy protesters appeared in court today after being charged with rioting, setting the stage for further unrest in a weeks-long crisis that has rocked the former British colony.

Terrifying moment car shoots fireworks at protesters in Hong Kong

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Images show the horrifying moment that a car drives past protesters (left) before launching fireworks in their direction (right)

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Protesters can be stodd watchin in horror as the flames take hold (left) and from afar the street is lit up in pink because of the fire works (right)

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Last night protesters were in a stand off with police as they continued their weekely rallies on the streets of Hong Kong

The announcement last night that 44 people had been charged with rioting - an offence that carries a jail term of up to 10 years - immediately triggered another round of clashes between police and protesters.

During the conflict, a car driving past one of Hong Kong's police stations shot flaming fireworks at hundreds of protesters who were calling for their arrested colleagues to be freed outside the Tin Shui Wai station.

Footage broadcast live on television showed an officer aiming a shotgun at protesters who were throwing objects at him.

Police officer brandishes gun at Hong Kong protesters

Police came out to disperse the crowd at about 10:40pm, with one of the officers filmed pointing a gun at protesters while his colleague is seen attacking them with a baton

Dozens of Hong Kong protesters detained during recent clashes have been charged with rioting - an offence that carries a jail term of up to ten years - as the finance hub's embattled pro-Beijing leaders crack down on weeks of demonstrations. After the announcement, protesters gathered outside the Kwai Chung police station in support of those detained on Tuesday night

Police late Tuesday said 44 of those arrested were being charged with rioting and would appear in court on Wednesday morning. Another man was charged with possession of an offensive weapon

The latest round of clashes between anti-government protesters and police broke out tonight after dozens of demonstrators detained were charged with rioting, an offence that carries a jail term of up to ten years

A police officer points a gun towards protesters. Several hundred protesters mobilised in the streets outside a police station after Hong Kong media said that 44 people had been arrested on riot charges

The previous two weekends had seen a surge in the level of violence used by both protesters and police, who repeatedly fired rubber bullets and tear gas to disperse projectile-throwing crowds.

A mob of pro-government thugs also attacked protesters, putting 45 people in hospital. At least six suspected attackers have been arrested and some were found to have links to triads.

China Daily, a Chinese state newspaper, today accused the West of 'distorting' the truth of Hong Kong protests.

While People's Daily, the mouthpiece of China's Communist Party, praised the Hong Kong anti-riot police, who have been accused of using violence against activists. The paper described them as 'dedicated' and 'professional'.

Police officer points his gun at protesters as colleague attack them with batons outside police station in Hong Kong after 44 are charged with rioting and face up to ten years in jail

A senior police source said today that 44 of those arrested during clashes were being charged with rioting

As news of the charges emerged, hundreds of protesters gathered outside the Kwai Chung police station

China's foreign ministry spokesperson said recent violent protests in Hong Kong are 'the work of the US'

Remarks came as US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said China should 'do the right thing' about Hong Kong

China's remarks come just hours before the latest rounds of trade talks between the two nations in Shanghai

City's police today began tests for anti-riot vehicles armed with water cannons that could used on Sunday

Hundreds of Hong Kong protesters blocked trains on the Island and Kwun Tong subway lines this morning

Beijing warned on Monday 'if Hong Kong continues the unrest, the whole society will have to pay the price'

The latest round of clashes between anti-government protesters and police broke out tonight after dozens of demonstrators detained were charged with rioting, an offence that carries a jail term of up to ten years.

As news of the charges emerged, hundreds of protesters gathered outside Kwai Chung police station where local media reported that the group were being held.

Police came out to disperse the crowd at about 10:40pm, with one of the officers filmed pointing a gun at protesters while his colleague is seen attacking them with a baton.

Police said 44 of those arrested were being charged with rioting and would appear in court on Wednesday morning. Another man was charged with possession of an offensive weapon.

The last two weekends have seen a dramatic surge in the level of violence used by both protesters and police who have repeatedly fired rubber bullets and tear gas to disperse projectile-throwing crowds. A mob of pro-government thugs also attacked protesters putting 45 people in hospital.

In the latest clashes with police on Sunday, protesters fought running battles with riot officers in a well-heeled residential suburb on the main island with 49 arrests made - 32 men and 17 women aged between 16 and 41.

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Dozens of Hong Kong protesters detained during recent clashes have been charged with rioting - an offence that carries a jail term of up to ten years - as the finance hub's embattled pro-Beijing leaders crack down on weeks of demonstrations. After the announcement, protesters gathered outside the Kwai Chung police station in support of those detained on Tuesday night

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Police came out to disperse the crowd at about 10:40pm, with one of the officers filmed pointing a gun at protesters while his colleague is seen attacking them with a baton

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Police late Tuesday said 44 of those arrested were being charged with rioting and would appear in court on Wednesday morning. Another man was charged with possession of an offensive weapon

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As news of the charges emerged, hundreds of protesters gathered outside the Kwai Chung police station where local media reported that the group were being held. They shouted 'Add Oil' - a popular Cantonese phrase of encouragement - and 'Reclaim Hong Kong, revolution of our times', the campaign slogan used by jailed activist Leung that has become an increasingly common chant in recent weeks

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Police officers react during clashes with protesters who surrounded a police station where detained protesters are being held

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A police officer points a gun towards protesters. Several hundred protesters mobilised in the streets outside a police station after Hong Kong media said that 44 people had been arrested on riot charges

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A baton-wielding officer confront protesters outside a police station as unrest erupts after authorities announced charges

Protesters throw objects towards police officers during the latest clashes caused by the arrest of 44 demonstrators

Rioting is one of the most serious public order offences on Hong Kong's statute books and carries a sentence of up to a decade in jail.

Edward Leung, a prominent activist, was jailed for six years last year after he was found guilty of rioting in clashes with police in 2016.

The protesters gathering outside the police station shouted 'Add Oil' - a popular Cantonese phrase of encouragement - and 'Reclaim Hong Kong, revolution of our times', the campaign slogan used by jailed activist Leung that has become an increasingly common chant in recent weeks.

The police station had metal shutters pulled down over the door and all public-facing windows.

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Protesters gather outside Kwai Chung police station on Tuesday night in support of protesters detained with the charge of rioting during recent clashes. Police late Tuesday said 44 of those arrested were being charged with rioting and would appear in court on Wednesday morning. Another man was charged with possession of an offensive weapon

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The riot police officer uses a pepper spray to disperse the crowds gathered at the police station on Tuesday night

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As news of the charges emerged, hundreds of protesters gathered outside a police station where local media reported that the group were being held. They shouted 'Add Oil' - a popular Cantonese phrase of encouragement - and 'Reclaim Hong Kong, revolution of our times', a campaign slogan that has become an increasingly common chant in recent week

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The police station had metal shutters pulled down over the door and all public-facing windows. The move to charge the 44 protesters comes a day after Beijing publicly threw its weight behind Hong Kong's unelected leader Carrie Lam and the police, saying violent protesters must be swiftly punished

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The move to charge the 44 protesters comes a day after Beijing publicly threw its weight behind Hong Kong's unelected leader Carrie Lam and the police, saying violent protesters must be swiftly punished.

Meanwhile, China today said the recent violent protests in Hong Kong are 'the work of the US.'

China's foreign ministry spokesperson reiterated that Beijing will not allow any foreign forces to interfere in the country's internal affairs.

The remarks came after US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said China should 'do the right thing' in dealing with protests in the territory, urging all sides to avoid violence.

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The recent violent protests in Hong Kong are 'the work of the US,' China's foreign ministry spokesperson said today, reiterating that Beijing will not allow any foreign forces to interfere in the country's internal affairs. Above, protesters and journalists react to tear gas fired into a crowd during a demonstration in Hong Kong on Sunday

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The remarks made by China's Foreign Ministry came after US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said China should 'do the right thing' in dealing with protests in Hong Kong, urging all sides to avoid violence

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'I believe that Mr Pompeo ... thinks that the recent violence in Hong Kong is reasonable because everyone knows that this is the work of the United States,' Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said at a regular press briefing today

'I believe that Mr Pompeo ... thinks that the recent violence in Hong Kong is reasonable because everyone knows that this is the work of the United States,' spokeswoman Hua Chunying said at a regular press briefing.

She also urged America to 'let go' of the Hong Kong issue, adding that 'those who play with fire would only get themselves burned.'

China's remarks come just hours before the latest rounds of trade talks between the two nations in Shanghai.

What started three months ago as rallies against an extradition bill that would have allowed people in Hong Kong to be sent to mainland China for trial, has now morphed into a wider backlash against the city's government and its political masters in Beijing.

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The city's police force today conducted road tests for anti-riot vehicles armed with water cannons that could be used to disperse protest crowds, according to Apple Daily. Video by HK01 News shows the vehicles travelling on the streets

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What started three months ago as rallies against an extradition bill that would have allowed people in Hong Kong to be sent to China for trial, has now morphed into a wider backlash against the city's government and its political masters in Beijing

Increasingly violent protests have occurred almost daily, sometimes with little notice, disrupting business, piling pressure on Hong Kong's beleaguered government and stretching the city's police force, which some have accused of using excessive force.

Earlier this month, a Hong Kong street artist became the first protester to be prosecuted by the city's authorities.

He appeared in court on July 5 over his alleged involvement in the blockade of the city's police headquarters on June 21. He was also charged with disorderly behaviour for throwing eggs at police outside the headquarters during the six-hour siege.

The city's police force today conducted road tests for anti-riot vehicles armed with water cannons that could be used to disperse protest crowds, according to Apple Daily.

The Mercedes-Benz vehicles could be deployed as early as Sunday, it added. South China Morning Post reported that the crowd-control vehicles cost a total of HK$16.59 million (£1.7 million) and arrived in the city last May.

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Passengers argue with protesters who disrupted a subway line in Hong Kong during the early morning rush hour today. Service was delayed and partially suspended on the Island and Kwun Tong lines, subway operator MTR Corp said. It cited 'a number of train door obstructions' as well as someone activating a safety device at a platform on the Kwun Tong line

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Police restrain an angry passenger who tried to fight with protesters at Tiu Keng Leng station this morning

Operational guidelines had been finalised and the force was considering whether to use the vehicles to spray liquid dye on protesters to help identifying suspects easier, a senior police insider revealed to the newspaper.

Democratic Party politician Lam Cheuk-ting said the water cannons are extremely powerful and could cause serious injuries to a person's neck and spine. He urged the police to be open and honest to the public about the risks of the vehicles.

Video released by HK01 News shows officers driving the vehicles onto the streets today, surrounded by several other police cars.

The police insider added that the vehicles would provide an alternative way of dispersing radical rallying crowds while creating a safe distance between protesters and officers, minimising the possibility of physical confrontation.

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Hundreds of Hong Kong protesters blocked train services during the early morning rush hour today, causing commuter chaos in the latest anti-government campaign to roil the former British colony. Above, protesters flood Tiu Keng Leng station

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Activists blocked train doors, playing havoc with services and forcing hundreds of people to stream out of railway stations in search of alternative transport

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Hong Kong, which returned to China in 1997, is embroiled in its worst political crisis for decades after two months of increasingly violent protests that have posed one of the gravest populist challenges to Communist Party rulers in Beijing

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Service was delayed and partially suspended on the Island and Kwun Tong lines, subway operator MTR said. It cited 'a number of train door obstructions' as well as someone activating a safety device at a platform on the Kwun Tong line

'The president, I think, captured it right when he said that we need China to do the right thing,' Pompeo said in an interview with Bloomberg last Thursday. 'We hope that they'll do that, we hope that the protests will remain peaceful.'

US President Donald Trump last Monday praised Chinese President Xi Jinping and said he believed Xi has acted 'very responsibly' with the protests in Hong Kong over an extradition bill that could see people from the territory sent to China for trial, prompting Beijing to 'advise' US officials to remove their 'black hands' from the territory.

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Activists blocked train doors, playing havoc with services and forcing hundreds of people to stream out of railway stations in search of alternative transport. There were heated exchanges at Tiu Keng Leng station, where a crowd of protesters and commuters sat on the platform and a stopped train

Commuters faced traffic chaos as protesters prevented trains from leaving the station by standing in between doors

Hong Kong protestors cause commuter chaos by disrupting trains

In the latest anti-government campaign to roil the former British colony, hundreds of Hong Kong protesters blocked train services during the early morning rush hour today, causing commuter chaos.

Service was delayed and partially suspended on the Island and Kwun Tong lines, subway operator MTR Corp said. It cited 'a number of train door obstructions' as well as someone activating a safety device at a platform on the Kwun Tong line.

Activists blocked train doors, playing havoc with services and forcing hundreds of people to stream out of railway stations in search of alternative transport.

There were heated exchanges at Tiu Keng Leng station, where a crowd of protesters and commuters sat on the platform and a stopped train. One train was held up more than half an hour, infuriating passengers.

'We don't know how long we are going to stay here, we don't have a leader, as you can see this is a mass movement now,' said Sharon, a 21-year-old masked protester who declined to give her full name.

'It's not our intention to inconvenience people, but we have to make the authorities understand why we protest. We will continue with this as long as need.'

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'It's not our intention to inconvenience people, but we have to make the authorities understand why we protest. We will continue with this as long as need.' Others chanted, 'Liberate Hong Kong,' and 'Revolution of our Time'

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People argue as Anti-extradition bill protesters disrupted train services at Tiu Keng Leng station during rush hour today

Others chanted, 'Liberate Hong Kong,' and 'Revolution of our Time'.

Posts on Twitter showed long lines of commuters waiting for free shuttle buses provided to other subway stops.

China's central government yesterday reiterated its support for Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam, as well as the city's police, and called on Hong Kong people to oppose violence following another weekend of clashes between protesters and police.

'If the unrest continues, the whole of Hong Kong society will pay the cost,' Yang Guang, a spokesperson with the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council, said at an extremely rare media briefing in Beijing.

He added that Hong Kong's government and society needed to come up with more effective ways to help young peple address concerns over housing, employment and other issues.

He listed three 'bottom lines' that could not be crossed, including no harm to national security, no challenge to the central government's authority, and no using Hong Kong as a way to undermine China.

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Amazing footage shot on Sunday shows quick-thinking protesters extinguishing a tear gas canister thrown by riot police

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Protesters are also seen throwing back tear gas canisters during their confrontation with riot police in Hong Kong

The latest protest follows a demonstration at the Chinese-ruled city's international airport last Friday and violent protests at the weekend when activists clashed with police who fired rubber bullets, tear gas and sponge grenades - a crowd-control weapon.

Amazing footage shot on Sunday shows quick-thinking protesters extinguishing a tear gas canister thrown by riot police.

Armed with gas masks and umbrellas, they are seen swiftly covering the canister with a traffic cone and dousing it with water before the gas can engulf the area.

Minor scuffles broke out between protesters and commuters as some grew frustrated over the train stoppage.

'It's so inconvenient and annoying, really. I am in hurry to work, to make a living. Will you give away your salary to me?' said a 64-year-old man surnamed Liu.

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Some protesters turned up at the station at 7:50am to block the train doors with their hands, bodies or items as passengers expressed their annoyance at the disruption to their commute

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Posts on Twitter showed long lines of commuters waiting for free shuttle buses provided to other subway stops

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Protesters were angry at Beijing's warning on Monday that 'if Hong Kong continues to be chaotic, the whole society will have to pay the price'. Millions have taken part in street protests for the past two months against a now-suspended extradition bill that would have allowed criminal suspects in Hong Kong to be sent to China to face trial

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Hundreds of protesters disrupted train services as part of a civil disobedience effort in the ongoing crisis gripping the city

Yang said the central government is calling on various sectors to firmly oppose violence, safeguard the rule of law, and asked society to eliminate political conflicts as soon as possible.

Attempts by 'irresponsible figures' in the West to stoke turbulence in Hong Kong and contain China's development will fail, he added.

It was the first time the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office has held a press briefing on the city since the 1997 handover, an indication that the central government feels increasing pressure to intervene.

The press conference follows another weekend of clashes between protesters and police, who again fired rubber bullets and tear gas as the demonstrations grow increasingly violent.

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Anti-government protesters in the station put up flyers and held up a train by blocking train doors

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Minor scuffles broke out between protesters and commuters as some grew frustrated over the train stoppage

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One train was held up for more than half an hour and police had to step in after heated arguments

Riot officers sought to defend China's main representative office in Hong Kong from protesters on Sunday for the second consecutive weekend, with the building near the heart of the city fortified with barricades.

Police said they had arrested at least 49 people over Sunday's protests for offences including unauthorised assembly and possession of offensive weapons. Medical authorities said 16 people were injured.

Police said protesters hurled bricks, bottles, paint bombs, corrosive liquids and used a crossbow to fire metal ball bearings. Bows and arrows were also later recovered from the scene, the force said.

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'If the turbulence continues, the whole of Hong Kong society will pay the cost,' Yang Guang (above), a spokesperson with the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council, said at an extremely rare media briefing in Beijing

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Yang added that Hong Kong's government and society needed to come up with more effective ways to help young peple address concerns over housing, employment and other issues

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Protests have occurred almost daily, sometimes with little notice, disrupting business, piling pressure on Hong Kong's beleaguered government and stretching the city's police force, which some have accused of using excessive force

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Demonstrators blocked train doors and others activated a safety device at a platform, causing chaos

Foreign secretary Dominic Raab said in a statement yesterday that the UK 'condemn any violence but the right of peaceful protest must be respected.'

Sunday's violence came a day after police fired tear gas and rubber bullets at protesters holding a banned rally against suspected pro-government triad gangs in a town near the border with mainland China.

The gangs had beaten up democracy demonstrators there the previous weekend.

Police made 13 arrests that day while hospital authorities said a total of 24 people were hurt, two seriously.

Despite facing unprecedented levels of public anger and frustration that has seen millions take to the streets, the city's pro-Beijing leadership have appeared unable, or unwilling, to end the chaos.