Hong Kong leader: China ‘respects and supports’ withdrawal of extradition bill
Hong Kong chief executive Carrie Lam has said Beijing supports her decision to withdraw the extradition bill that sparked months of unrest, part of measures she hopes will “address the discontent” in the territory.
In a press conference on Thursday, Lam was repeatedly asked why it took her so long to withdraw the bill, which would have allowed citizens to be extradited to China. Lam did not answer the questions, and said: “It is not exactly correct to describe this as a change of mind.”
Read more: Carrie Lam withdraws extradition bill that triggered protests
The Chinese government was supportive of her government’s decision to scrap the bill, she added.
“Throughout the whole process, the Central People’s Government took the position that they understood why we have to do it. They respect my view, and they support me all the way,” she told reporters.
Lam had previously said the bill was “dead” in June, but had refused to confirm its official withdrawal. She announced that the bill had been formally scrapped yesterday.
Chinese state newspaper People’s Daily said the withdrawal of the bill left demonstraters with no excuse to continue protesting.
Protests over the bill have been ongoing since June, plunging the financial hub into its worst political crisis in decades. Demonstraters saw the bill as an erosion of the freedoms afforded to Hong Kong under the “one country, two systems” framework.
“We must find ways to address the discontent in society and look for solutions,” Lam said on Thursday, announcing other measures aimed at countering divisions she said were partially responsible for the current unrest.
These include opening a platform to address economic, social, and political problems such as mobility for young people and housing.
The scrapping of the extradition bill was one of five key demands made by protesters, but many have said the bill’s withdrawl is too little, too late. The four other demands are: retraction of the word “riot” to describe demonstrations, the release of all protesters, an independent inquiry into police conduct, and democratic elections.
Read more: Hong Kong ‘flirting with recession’ as protests and trade war bite
Lam said at the press conference that Hong Kong’s independent police complaints council was credible enough to conduct an inquiry.
Demonstrations have continued in the city since yesterday’s announcement of the bill’s withdrawal, with further protests planned including one targeting the city’s airport on Saturday.
Main image credit: Getty