<p class="title">Chinese media on Monday blamed foreign interference over the huge protest that brought central Hong Kong to a standstill over the weekend, accusing opponents of the city's pro-Beijing government of "collusion with the West".</p>.<p class="bodytext">Organisers say more than a million people marched through the streets of the territory against a proposed new law that would allow extradition from Hong Kong to mainland China.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Opponents of the legislation say it would erode precious freedoms in the city and leave dissidents at the mercy of Beijing's opaque justice system.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The Chinese-language edition of the nationalistic Global Times dismissed Sunday's mass demonstration, one of the biggest shows of public anger since Hong Kong was returned to Chinese rule in 1997.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"It is very noteworthy that some international forces have significantly strengthened their interaction with the Hong Kong opposition in recent months," the paper said, describing the exchanges as "collusion".</p>.<p class="bodytext">The editorial pointed to meetings between Hong Kong opposition figures and US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, as well as House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The English-language China Daily also played down the protest and focused on support for the proposed law.</p>.<p class="bodytext">An editorial in the paper said more than 700,000 people had backed the legislation through an online petition, "countering a protest by about 240,000 people" -- the more conservative attendance figure given by police.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"Unfortunately, some Hong Kong residents have been hoodwinked by the opposition camp and their foreign allies into supporting the anti-extradition campaign," the paper said.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Drone footage showing Hong Kong's cramped streets thronged with protesters made headlines around the world.</p>.<p class="bodytext">But coverage in China was muted.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Sunday's main evening news broadcast by China's state broadcaster did not mention the protest, while the official Xinhua news agency's English-language service repeated the city administration's position on the law "in response to a public procession".</p>.<p class="bodytext">Searches for the demonstration on China's Twitter-like Weibo platform yielded no results, and instead showed older content about unrelated events.</p>.<p class="bodytext">A 50-year agreement between Hong Kong's former colonial ruler, Britain, and China means the city is guaranteed freedoms of speech and assembly unseen on the Chinese mainland.</p>.<p class="bodytext">But activists and opposition politicians are increasingly warning that these liberties are being eroded as Beijing tightens its grip on the city.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The proposed law being pushed by the territory's pro-Beijing leadership would allow extraditions to any country with which Hong Kong does not already have a treaty, including mainland China.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Supporters say the law is needed to stop the city becoming a safe haven for mainland fugitives, and it has said dissidents will not be extradited.</p>.<p class="bodytext">But critics fear Beijing would use the law to go after its opponents.</p>
<p class="title">Chinese media on Monday blamed foreign interference over the huge protest that brought central Hong Kong to a standstill over the weekend, accusing opponents of the city's pro-Beijing government of "collusion with the West".</p>.<p class="bodytext">Organisers say more than a million people marched through the streets of the territory against a proposed new law that would allow extradition from Hong Kong to mainland China.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Opponents of the legislation say it would erode precious freedoms in the city and leave dissidents at the mercy of Beijing's opaque justice system.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The Chinese-language edition of the nationalistic Global Times dismissed Sunday's mass demonstration, one of the biggest shows of public anger since Hong Kong was returned to Chinese rule in 1997.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"It is very noteworthy that some international forces have significantly strengthened their interaction with the Hong Kong opposition in recent months," the paper said, describing the exchanges as "collusion".</p>.<p class="bodytext">The editorial pointed to meetings between Hong Kong opposition figures and US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, as well as House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The English-language China Daily also played down the protest and focused on support for the proposed law.</p>.<p class="bodytext">An editorial in the paper said more than 700,000 people had backed the legislation through an online petition, "countering a protest by about 240,000 people" -- the more conservative attendance figure given by police.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"Unfortunately, some Hong Kong residents have been hoodwinked by the opposition camp and their foreign allies into supporting the anti-extradition campaign," the paper said.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Drone footage showing Hong Kong's cramped streets thronged with protesters made headlines around the world.</p>.<p class="bodytext">But coverage in China was muted.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Sunday's main evening news broadcast by China's state broadcaster did not mention the protest, while the official Xinhua news agency's English-language service repeated the city administration's position on the law "in response to a public procession".</p>.<p class="bodytext">Searches for the demonstration on China's Twitter-like Weibo platform yielded no results, and instead showed older content about unrelated events.</p>.<p class="bodytext">A 50-year agreement between Hong Kong's former colonial ruler, Britain, and China means the city is guaranteed freedoms of speech and assembly unseen on the Chinese mainland.</p>.<p class="bodytext">But activists and opposition politicians are increasingly warning that these liberties are being eroded as Beijing tightens its grip on the city.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The proposed law being pushed by the territory's pro-Beijing leadership would allow extraditions to any country with which Hong Kong does not already have a treaty, including mainland China.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Supporters say the law is needed to stop the city becoming a safe haven for mainland fugitives, and it has said dissidents will not be extradited.</p>.<p class="bodytext">But critics fear Beijing would use the law to go after its opponents.</p>