China says Hong Kong's priority is to 'punish' violence

China on Monday said Hong Kong's top priority was to "punish violent and unlawful acts" as Beijing threw its support behind the city's government following another weekend of protests.

The semi-autonomous city must "restore social order as soon as possible", Xu Luying, spokeswoman of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of China's State Council, said in a rare press conference on the city's protests.