Violence perpetrated by radical protesters in Hong Kong has aroused international concern that the prosperity and stability of the city are in jeopardy.
Citing a recent incident where two Chinese mainland citizens were assaulted and detained by some radical demonstrators, British Sky News said in an article that those demonstrators "identified someone they thought was suspicious and mob mentality took over."
In another report, the New York Times noted that "uglier scenes developed ..., as a few scuffles broke out between protesters and travelers, who for the first time were being blocked from the departure gates."
"The violence of the demonstrations has escalated beyond what would be allowed or accepted in any Western city," said Glenda Korporaal, a China correspondent for The Australian, in an opinion on Wednesday.
Japanese newspaper Asahi Shimbun also reported on Wednesday that Hong Kong International Airport, Asia's major air hub, was paralyzed by protests over the last two days, upsetting life of ordinary Hong Kong citizens.
A woman who was planning to travel to Malaysia with her family said outrageously that the protests were aimed at destroying Hong Kong's economy, the paper said.
The protests have cast a shadow over Hong Kong's economy, the Japanese paper commented, adding that some investment institutes have already lowered the forecast for the city's economic growth in 2019.
Meanwhile, Japan's national broadcasting organization NHK reported that Japanese companies in Hong Kong have also been affected by the protests, adding that some Japanese chain stores in Hong Kong have seen their sales declining recently due to the violence.
Another Japanese newspaper Sankei Shimbun reported on Thursday that as protests and violence in Hong Kong intensify, business of some Japanese companies in Hong Kong has suffered a blow. Some employees' commute has also been affected.
One of the employees said he hoped the situation could calm down as soon as possible, said the report.
