U.S. President Donald Trump must decide what to do on a bill passed by the U.S. Congress supporting the ongoing protests in Hong Kong.

Trump has a total of 10 days to sign or veto the bill.

On Day 2 of the countdown, Trump gave a telephone interview with Fox News and said he was balancing competing priorities in the U.S.-China relationship.

"We have to stand with Hong Kong, but I'm also standing with President Xi," Trump said to Fox news. "He's a friend of mine. I'd like to see them work it out, okay?"

Trump added that the protests were a "complicating factor" in the current trade talks between the U.S. and China.

"We are also in the process of making the largest trade deals in history," Trump said.

Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Geng Shuang on Wednesday condemned the bill saying it was a "serious violation of international law".

"I'd like to stress once again that Hong Kong is part of China, and Hong Kong affairs are China's internal affairs. We urge the U.S. to grasp the situation, stop its wrongdoing before it's too late, and immediately take measures to prevent this act from becoming law," Geng said.

If Trump vetoes the bill, it will return to Congress who can override it with a 2/3rd majority.

The protests in Hong Kong have grown increasingly violent in recent weeks.

Earlier this month, a 57-year-old father of two was doused with flammable liquid and set on fire, when he argued with protesters. He suffered 40% burns to his body.

A 70-year-old man was also killed after being hit in the head by a brick from protesters in mid-November.

Trump's mixed messages on the U.S. bill comes as China and the U.S. finalize a phase one of a trade deal that is expected quell war tensions between the world's largest economies.