Flights were departing Hong Kong airport largely on schedule on Wednesday morning, a day after pro-democracy protesters caused chaos with a disruptive sit-in  — AFP Photo

HONG KONG — Flights were departing Hong Kong airport largely on schedule on Wednesday morning, a day after protesters caused chaos with a disruptive sit-in that paralysed the busy transport hub.

Hundreds of flights were cancelled on Tuesday after demonstrators blockaded two terminals, the second consecutive day the airport has been targeted in the latest escalation of a 10-week political crisis that has gripped the international finance hub.

Protesters physically blocked travellers from accessing flights throughout the afternoon, before battling with riot police outside the terminal later that evening and turning on two people they accused of being spies or undercover police.

But by the early hours of Wednesday morning the vast majority of protesters had left the building and flights began taking off on a more regular basis.

The airport's website showed dozens of flights taking off overnight and listed hundreds more scheduled to depart throughout Wednesday, although many were delayed.

An AFP reporter at departures said check-in desks were operating normally and only a handful of protesters remained, most of them sleeping.

It was unclear whether the airport would again be targeted later Wednesday.

Activists turned their attention to the economically vital airport after weeks of huge peaceful rallies – and increasingly violent clashes between hardliners and police – failed to win any concessions from the city's leaders or Beijing.

Distorting the truth

China on Tuesday refuted several United States politicians' remarks concerning the Hong Kong issue, saying that the remarks are "distorting the truth", said a Foreign Ministry spokesperson.

According to reports, U.S. House Speaker Pelosi, Senator McConnell, Senator Rubio and Congressman Yoho on Monday tweeted that Hong Kong police repressed demonstrators with violence and that the Chinese central government eroded democracy and freedom in Hong Kong. Spokesperson Hua Chunying said that the remarks are whitewashing violent crimes as a struggle for human rights and freedom, and deliberately misinterpreting the work of Hong Kong police as violent repression when the police were only enforcing the law, fighting crimes and upholding social order.

The remarks even incited the Hong Kong residents to engage in confrontation with the SAR government and China's central government, she said.

"They can't wait to see a world in turmoil," she said.

She said the U.S. side had repeatedly denied its involvement in the on-going violent incidents in Hong Kong.

owever, these remarks have provided the world with new and powerful evidence on the country's involvement.

"In the U.S., members of the Congress are also called lawmakers. I cannot help asking the relevant senators and House representatives: are you lawmakers or law-breakers?" Hua said.

She said that Hong Kong affairs are entirely China's internal affairs, and those U.S. politicians are neither entitled nor qualified to comment on them. "Just mind your own business," Hua said. "Hong Kong is none of your business." — AFP/XINHUA