Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam said on Saturday that a proposed extradition bill will be suspended, handing a stunning victory to thousands of protesters who packed the streets for a week to oppose legislation strongly desired by the mainland Chinese government.
Lam told a press conference on Saturday that a growing number of pro-Beijing lawmakers urged her to suspend the bill after massive protests. She added that Taiwan struck a blow against the extradition law by stating it would refuse to accept the murder suspect whose case was commonly cited as a justification for changing Hong Kong’s extradition law.
Critics were deeply concerned about making extradition easier to China, which has an abysmal human rights record and a highly politicized justice system. Demonstrators feared passage of the bill would strike a mortal blow against Hong Kong’s unique autonomy and subject them to abusive prosecutions by the Chinese Communist Party.
Jasmine Crockett uses Trump’s ‘Low IQ’ insults to launch her Texas Senate campaign in debut ad
Trump cabinet members do pull-ups at airport to launch $1B family travel program nationwide
Trump threatens 5% tariff on Mexico over water treaty violations affecting Texas farmers
Thune eyes possibility of ‘serious’ Obamacare talks once Democratic bill fails
Watch: Is This Is a Touchdown? ‘Clear As Mud’ Rules Trigger NFL Controversy
Top GOP senator says Crockett announcement exposes how ‘radical’ Dems are nationwide
Indiana redistricting bill clears committee in victory for Trump, heading to full Senate vote
Family sues Royal Caribbean after man allegedly served 33 drinks dies aboard cruise ship
DeSantis Drops the Hammer on Muslim Brotherhood, CAIR: ‘EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY’
Kelsey Grammer Defies All of Hollywood, Goes on Record with Glowing Review of Trump
Watch: Jasmine Crockett’s Utterly Bizarre Campaign Kickoff Video Is Nothing but Trump Insulting Her Non-Stop for 45 Seconds
Florida mom says teens ‘lured’ 14-year-old daughter into woods before shooting, setting her on fire: report
Trump complains he can’t ‘appoint anybody’ after Habba resigns as acting US attorney
Hollywood star reveals what he thinks of potential Newsom presidency with two-word response
Fox News Politics Newsletter: Trump critic Jasmine Crockett shakes up Senate race
“The urgency of passing this bill within this term has maybe disappeared,” said Lam, claiming the Taiwanese murder case was the true reason she pushed so hard for the bill, not her political allegiance to Beijing.
Lam cited two occasions when the extradition bill was amended to address public concerns, but conceded opposition to the legislation was too strong to ignore. She claimed her “explanation and communication work has not been sufficient or effective.”
Lam chastised the protesters for disrupting Hong Kong and blamed them for “a number of police officers, media workers, and other members of the public being injured,” but then gave the protest movement what it wanted:
As a responsible government, we have to maintain law and order on the one hand, and evaluate the situation for the greatest interest of Hong Kong, including restoring calmness in society as soon as possible and avoiding any more injuries to law enforcement officers and citizens.
Jasmine Crockett uses Trump’s ‘Low IQ’ insults to launch her Texas Senate campaign in debut ad
Trump cabinet members do pull-ups at airport to launch $1B family travel program nationwide
Trump threatens 5% tariff on Mexico over water treaty violations affecting Texas farmers
Thune eyes possibility of ‘serious’ Obamacare talks once Democratic bill fails
Watch: Is This Is a Touchdown? ‘Clear As Mud’ Rules Trigger NFL Controversy
Top GOP senator says Crockett announcement exposes how ‘radical’ Dems are nationwide
Indiana redistricting bill clears committee in victory for Trump, heading to full Senate vote
Family sues Royal Caribbean after man allegedly served 33 drinks dies aboard cruise ship
DeSantis Drops the Hammer on Muslim Brotherhood, CAIR: ‘EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY’
Kelsey Grammer Defies All of Hollywood, Goes on Record with Glowing Review of Trump
Watch: Jasmine Crockett’s Utterly Bizarre Campaign Kickoff Video Is Nothing but Trump Insulting Her Non-Stop for 45 Seconds
Florida mom says teens ‘lured’ 14-year-old daughter into woods before shooting, setting her on fire: report
Trump complains he can’t ‘appoint anybody’ after Habba resigns as acting US attorney
Hollywood star reveals what he thinks of potential Newsom presidency with two-word response
Fox News Politics Newsletter: Trump critic Jasmine Crockett shakes up Senate race
I am grateful for the views of many pro-establishment legislators and leaders of various community sectors conveyed to me over the last few days either openly or in private, that we should pause and think instead of resuming the Second Reading debate on the bill at the Legislative Council as scheduled. This would prevent dealing a further blow to society.
[…] After repeated internal deliberations over the last two days, I now announce that the Government has decided to suspend the legislative amendment exercise, restart our communication with all sectors of society, do more explanation work and listen to different views of society.
“I feel deep sorrow and regret that the deficiencies in our work and various other factors have stirred up substantial controversies and dispute in society following the relatively calm periods of the past two years, disappointing many people,” Lam concluded.
Opposition leaders immediately pressed their advantage, with Carrie Mo demanding Lam permanently cancel the extradition bill and resign. She said it was “shameful” for Lam to continue pretending the Taiwanese murder case was the reason pro-Beijing lawmakers pushed so hard for legislation clearly despised by Hong Kongers.
Jasmine Crockett uses Trump’s ‘Low IQ’ insults to launch her Texas Senate campaign in debut ad
Trump cabinet members do pull-ups at airport to launch $1B family travel program nationwide
Trump threatens 5% tariff on Mexico over water treaty violations affecting Texas farmers
Thune eyes possibility of ‘serious’ Obamacare talks once Democratic bill fails
Watch: Is This Is a Touchdown? ‘Clear As Mud’ Rules Trigger NFL Controversy
Top GOP senator says Crockett announcement exposes how ‘radical’ Dems are nationwide
Indiana redistricting bill clears committee in victory for Trump, heading to full Senate vote
Family sues Royal Caribbean after man allegedly served 33 drinks dies aboard cruise ship
DeSantis Drops the Hammer on Muslim Brotherhood, CAIR: ‘EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY’
Kelsey Grammer Defies All of Hollywood, Goes on Record with Glowing Review of Trump
Watch: Jasmine Crockett’s Utterly Bizarre Campaign Kickoff Video Is Nothing but Trump Insulting Her Non-Stop for 45 Seconds
Florida mom says teens ‘lured’ 14-year-old daughter into woods before shooting, setting her on fire: report
Trump complains he can’t ‘appoint anybody’ after Habba resigns as acting US attorney
Hollywood star reveals what he thinks of potential Newsom presidency with two-word response
Fox News Politics Newsletter: Trump critic Jasmine Crockett shakes up Senate race
“If you won’t retract the bill, we won’t retreat,” Mo said, adding that Lam should apologize for blaming the excessively violent police response on demonstrators and promise that none of the protesters would be charged with rioting, an offense that can carry up to ten years in prison.
“Carrie Lam has lost all credibility among all Hong Kong people. She must step down,” Mo declared.
Several other protest leaders said rallies and strikes planned for Sunday and Monday will proceed unless Lam resigns, jailed protesters are released, and the extradition bill is permanently, irrevocably canceled.
The Chinese government said on Saturday it respects Lam’s decision to suspend the bill and “listen more widely to the views of the community and restore calm to the community as soon as possible.”
“We support, respect and understand this decision,” said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang.
Geng insisted demonstrators misunderstand the extradition bill, and Beijing still believes it is necessary.
“The rights and freedoms enjoyed by Hong Kong residents are fully protected in accordance with the law. The facts are obvious to all. Maintaining Hong Kong’s prosperity and stability is not only in the interests of China but also in the interests of all countries in the world,” he said.
Jasmine Crockett uses Trump’s ‘Low IQ’ insults to launch her Texas Senate campaign in debut ad
Trump cabinet members do pull-ups at airport to launch $1B family travel program nationwide
Trump threatens 5% tariff on Mexico over water treaty violations affecting Texas farmers
Thune eyes possibility of ‘serious’ Obamacare talks once Democratic bill fails
Watch: Is This Is a Touchdown? ‘Clear As Mud’ Rules Trigger NFL Controversy
Top GOP senator says Crockett announcement exposes how ‘radical’ Dems are nationwide
Indiana redistricting bill clears committee in victory for Trump, heading to full Senate vote
Family sues Royal Caribbean after man allegedly served 33 drinks dies aboard cruise ship
DeSantis Drops the Hammer on Muslim Brotherhood, CAIR: ‘EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY’
Kelsey Grammer Defies All of Hollywood, Goes on Record with Glowing Review of Trump
Watch: Jasmine Crockett’s Utterly Bizarre Campaign Kickoff Video Is Nothing but Trump Insulting Her Non-Stop for 45 Seconds
Florida mom says teens ‘lured’ 14-year-old daughter into woods before shooting, setting her on fire: report
Trump complains he can’t ‘appoint anybody’ after Habba resigns as acting US attorney
Hollywood star reveals what he thinks of potential Newsom presidency with two-word response
Fox News Politics Newsletter: Trump critic Jasmine Crockett shakes up Senate race
According to reports in Chinese media, Lam met with Chinese Vice Premier Han Zheng on Friday night and then called a meeting with her cabinet, suggesting Zheng gave her permission to suspend the extradition bill.
“They would have indicated to Carrie… that this just has to end. She didn’t understand what she was doing,” London-based political scientist Steve Tsang told Reuters of Lam’s meeting with the Chinese premier.
“I think Carrie Lam’s days are numbered,” Tsang predicted. “Beijing cannot afford to sack her right away, because that would be an indication of weakness.”
Story cited here.
