Hong Kong Leader Says China Extradition Bill ’Dead’, Fails to Convince Protesters

By Staff, Agencies

Hong Kong's embattled pro-Beijing leader said Tuesday that a widely loathed China extradition law that has sparked unprecedented political unrest "is dead"; but she stopped short of demands to immediately withdraw the bill.

In her most conciliatory remarks since huge protests erupted a month ago, chief executive Carrie Lam admitted her administration's attempt to introduce the law was a "complete failure".

But her comments failed to convince protest groups, which vowed new rallies until their demands were heard.

"There is no such plan. The bill is dead," Lam said. However, she declined to use the word "withdraw", a demand chanted by the hundreds of thousands of protesters who have massed across the city.

Protesters are demanding the flashpoint law is scrapped from the legislative agenda, rather than wait for it to expire in July 2020 when the next parliamentary session ends.

The now-suspended bill plunged Hong Kong into its worst crisis in recent history, mounting the most serious challenge to Beijing's authority since the city was handed back to China in 1997.

The massive demonstrations are the latest expression of growing fears that China is stamping down on the city's freedoms and culture with the help of the finance hub's pro-Beijing leaders.