Beijing (CNN) -- Despite attempts by the authorities to censor coverage, millions of people across mainland China have watched warily over the past few days as thousands of Hong Kongers have occupied the heart of their city calling for greater democracy.

For many the verve and passion of this student-led revolt has been captivating to witness. But others are less impressed.

"I think the 'Occupy Central' movement is the Hong Kong version of so-called street politics and color revolutions we've seen in other countries," Chen Zuo'er, who helped facilitate the handover of Hong Kong to China from Britain, told CNN Wednesday, as China marked National Day -- the foundation of the People's Republic of China on October 1, 1949.

"It's very dangerous. It's an obviously illegal movement."

Chen says the protest is bad for Hong Kong's reputation.

 

Raw scenes from Hong Kong

 

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Chinese media censors Hong Kong protest

 

China under pressure to act

 

Protests on "National Day" in China

 

What Hong Kong protests say about Beijing

"It has caused great harm to Hong Kong in the past few days. Democracy and the rule of law are the pillars of economic prosperity and social stability in Hong Kong. 'Occupy Central' has attacked both pillars," he said.

Illegal demonstration

China itself has labeled the demonstrations "illegal." Some analysts claim the protests have been the most significant since the former colony's handover from Britain to China in 1997.

But not everyone in China knows about the occupation of Hong Kong's central districts -- the beating heart of this Asian financial hub. Beijing's censors have been blocking reports, including CNN's, in the mainstream and social media.

READ: 'Great firewall' censors protests

But those who know, like Chen, are watching warily, worried that any clashes or incidents between protesters and police -- as we witnessed on Sunday when the authorities resorted to using tear gas -- could lead to bloodshed or trigger a harsh crackdown.

Chen was posted to the city in 1994 as a member of the preparatory committee for the formation of Hong Kong as a Special Administrative Region (SAR) of China. He was China's point-person in the Sino-British Joint Liaison Group (JLG), in charge of negotiating with British side over the 1997 handover of power. He now heads the Chinese Association of Hong Kong and Macao Studies, a think-tank based in Beijing.

'Gullible' protesters

While Chen praised the passion of the young protesters, he questioned whether they'd been misled.

"The passion of Hong Kong's young people is commendable -- they care about current affairs and politics, care about the future of Hong Kong and China," he said. "But they tend to be gullible and excitable as their class boycott and peaceful sit-in became 'Occupy Central.'"

Chen accused "some people" of manipulating the protest movement.

"Some adults -- I mean those with beards and wrinkles -- suddenly show up in front of the youth to tell them what to do, what not to do, what should be done, what should be their goal," he said.

"We're all shocked. As I've read in Hong Kong media, those adults -- would they let their own children lie on the streets? What are they doing after receiving illegal funding? These are the questions posed by Hong Kong people online that I've read."

Chen declined to give specifics, simply saying "just read what is out there in the Hong Kong media."

Chinese crackdown

Would China would consider sending People's Liberation Army (PLA) troops on to the streets of Hong Kong if the protest persists for a long time?

"The past few days the central government has already stated many times," he answered tangentially. "We believe that the Hong Kong SAR government has the ability to handle well the illegal acts of the Occupation Central. We fully believe so."

The retired vice minister insisted that China's decision to allow "universal suffrage" in the 2017 election is already a significant progress towards democracy.

READ: How the rally started

"If you study the decision by the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, you will find it comparable to universal suffrage in many other countries during various periods of time. It's one person, one vote and every vote counts the same. It takes some Western countries 200 years to achieve. But after resuming sovereignty over Hong Kong, it took China only 20 years to achieve this in the Chief Executive election," he said.

But many ordinary Hong Kongers insist they want full universal suffrage, rejecting Beijing's decision to allow only Beijing-vetted candidates to run for the 2017 election for chief executive.

Will China be open to changing the elections system in the future to make it freer?

"I'm not a prophet," he replied. "I think Hong Kong's political system will become fairer, more democratic and more open.

"One country, two systems" is a fundamental national policy. No matter how 'Occupy Central' becomes, it won't change shake this policy. I believe it will be thoroughly implemented into the future."

Meantime, Chen sees no room for China to back down from its stated position.

"I know the plotters of Occupy Central," he said. "They launched this illegal action with the central government as its target. They demand that the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress will rescind its decision on universal suffrage. However, I think that is futile. Impossible."

Many political observers have compared Occupy Central to Tiananmen in 1989, when the Chinese army brutally crushed the six-week-long protest in central Beijing.

What is Chen's take?

"They are not comparable," was his only reply.

香港示威者充滿激情，但容易受騙，說中國的97回歸談判
由海梅答：吉米，美國有線新聞網
2014年10月1日 - 更新1324 GMT（2124 HKT）
新聞提要
抗議活動是“非常危險，顯然非法移動，”陳佐洱說：
陳幫與英方在1997年的權力移交給中國談判
佔領中環襲擊的經濟繁榮和社會穩定的支柱，他說：
陳：“一個國家，兩種制度”是一項基本國策
北京（CNN） -儘管當局試圖審查的覆蓋面，數以百萬計的在中國大陸的人都警惕地看了過去幾天，成千上萬的香港人已經佔據了他們的城市呼召的心臟更大的民主。
對於許多這種學生領導起義的氣魄和激情已經被迷人的見證。但也有人不那麼深刻的印象。
“我認為'佔領中環”運動是港版的所謂的街頭政治與顏色革命，我們已經看到在其他國家，“陳佐洱，誰幫助推動香港向中國轉移，從英國，告訴CNN週三，隨著中國標誌著國慶 - 中國人民共和國成立於1949年10月1日。
“這是非常危險的，這是一個明顯的非法流動。”
陳清秀表示，抗議是壞對香港的聲譽。
來自香港的原材料場景 中國會走多遠阻止示威者？ 中國媒體審查香港抗議 中國壓力作用下， 在中國“國慶”抗議 香港所抗議說一下北京
“它已經在過去的幾天裡，民主和法治是經濟繁榮和社會穩定，香港的支柱造成了極大的傷害香港。”佔領中環“已經襲擊了這兩個支柱，”他說。
非法示威
中國本身已經貼上示威“非法”。一些分析家聲稱，因為前殖民地政權交接從英國到中國在1997年的抗議活動一直是最顯著。
但並不是每個人都知道中國對佔領香港的中心區域 - 這亞洲的金融中心的心臟跳動。北京的審查已經被封鎖報告，包括CNN的，在主流和社交媒體。
閱讀：“長城防火牆”審查抗議
但是，這些誰知道，像陳，都警惕地注視著，擔心示威者和警察之間的任何衝突或事故 - 因為我們見證了上週日的時候，當局使出使用了催淚瓦斯 - 可能導致流血事件或觸發嚴厲打擊。
陳被張貼到城市於1994年，為香港的形成是中國的一個特別行政區（特區）籌備委員會的成員。他是中國的角度，人在中英聯合聯絡小組（JLG），負責與英方在1997年移交權力的談判。他現在負責港澳研究，總部設在北京的一個智囊團的中國協會。
“輕信”示威者
雖然陳稱讚的年輕抗議者的激情，他質疑是否會被誤導。
“香港的年輕人的激情是難能可貴的 - 他們關心時事政治，關心香港和中國的未來，”他說。“但是，他們往往是輕信和激動的是他們的階級抵制與和平靜坐成了”佔領中環“。”
陳指控操縱了抗議運動的“某些人”。
“一些成年人 - 我指的是與鬍鬚和皺紋 - 突然出現在青年面前，告訴他們該怎麼做，什麼不該做，什麼應該做，什麼應該是他們的目標，”他說。
“我們都驚呆了正如我讀香港媒體報導，這些成人 - 將他們讓自己的孩子躺在街道上接受非法資金後，他們在做這些是由香港人所提出的問題？網上說我讀過。“
陳拒絕透露細節，只是說“剛才讀的是赫然出現在香港的媒體。”
中國打假
請問中國將考慮派遣人民解放軍（PLA）的部隊到香港街頭，如果抗議持續了很長的時間？
“在過去的幾天裡，中央政府已多次表示，”他回答一帶而過。“我們相信，香港特區政府必須處理好職業中的違法違規行為，我們完全相信這樣的能力。”
我們相信，香港特區政府必須處理好職業中的違法違規行為的能力。我們完全相信，所以，
陳佐洱

已退休的副部長堅持認為，中國的決定讓“普選”在2017年的選舉已經走向民主顯著進展。
閱讀：如何在反彈開始
“如果你研究由全國人民代表大會常務委員會的決定，你會發現它相當於在不同的時間在其他許多國家普選，這是一個人，一票，每票計一樣，它需要一些西方國家200年實現，但恢復對香港行使主權後，花了中國只有20年​​的行政長官選舉，以實現這一目標，“他說。
但很多普通香港人堅持他們想要的全部普選，拒絕北京的決定，只允許北京，審核候選人參加2017年選舉行政長官。
中國將開放改變選舉制度的未來，使其更自由？
“我不是預言家，”他回答說。“我認為香港的政治體系將成為更公平，更民主，更開放。
“一個國家，兩種制度”是一項基本國策。不管如何“佔領中環”而成，它不會改變動搖這個政策。我相信我們會徹底落實到未來。“
同時，陳認為沒有空間，中國從其聲明的立場退縮。
“我知道的策劃佔領中環”，他說。“他們推出的這種非法行動統一到中央的政府為目標，他們要求的是，全國人民代表大會常務委員會將撤銷對普選的決定，但我認為這是徒勞的。不可能的。”
許多政治觀察家相比，佔據中央天安門在1989年，當中國軍隊殘酷鎮壓六週之久的抗議活動在北京市中心。
什麼是陳的走？
“他們沒有可比性，”是他唯一的回答。