US President Donald Trump said on Thursday the United States would react strongly if China follows through on plans to impose national security legislation on Hong Kong after last year’s often violent pro-democracy unrest.The remarks, made by the President to reporters before leaving the White House, came hours after a Chinese official said the National People’s Congress was exercising its “constitutional power” to set up a new legal framework and enforcement mechanism to ensure national security in Hong Kong.

Later, the US State Department also criticised Beijing’s move.

“Any effort to impose national security legislation that does not reflect the will of the people of Hong Kong would be highly destabilising, and would be met with strong condemnation from the United States and the international community,” State Department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus said.