The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) turned into a war zone on Tuesday, dominated by a huge fire and smoke, road barricades and fierce confrontation between rioters and police. Photo: Web

Nanchang Hangkong University in East China's Jiangxi Province vowed to punish a faculty member after he made inappropriate remarks on Hong Kong riots.

Niu Jie, a lecturer in law, was found to have claimed the rioters are only children and that they did not kill anyone, according to screenshots of a WeChat group circulated online.

Niu also said the elderly man who was set on fire by Hong Kong rioters in Ma On Shan after he expressed different viewpoints was undercover and just acting.

Niu's words irritated netizens, who asked the university to punish him.

"I can pay for Niu to take a trip to Hong Kong and let him have a vivid experience of what the 'children' would do to him," said a net user on Sina Weibo.

The university confirmed Niu is a teacher at the school of liberal arts and law on Tuesday.

"The school has paid great attention to the incident and will handle the case seriously in line with relevant regulations," the university said on Sina Weibo.

Global Times