Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam says China extradition bill is ‘dead’

Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam said on Tuesday morning local time that a controversial extradition bill that was previously being mulled over by the territory’s governing body is “dead.”

“There are still lingering doubts about the government’s sincerity, or worries whether the government will restart the process [of debating the bill] in the Legislative Council. I reiterate here, there is no such plan,” she said during a press conference.

“The bill is dead.”

She did not state whether the government would withdraw the bill completely.

“This has nothing to do with my own pride or arrogance,” she said. “My sincere plea is please give us an opportunity, the time, to take Hong Kong out of the current impasse.”

Lam added that attempts to amend the bill have been a “total failure.”

The bill, which would allow extradition to mainland China, sparked weeks of mass protests. It was set to be debated on June 12, but was officially postponed hours later after protesters blocked key roads leading to the government building.

Read more: P rotesters in Hong Kong may have almost won this battle — but the fight for freedom and identity is far from over

Despite the bill’s temporary withdrawal, protesters have continued to take to the streets for weeks, demanding an independent investigation into allegations of police brutality, dropping charges against arrested protesters, and the complete tabling of the bill. Protest groups have also criticised Lam’s handling of the situation and have called for her to step down.

Last week, protesters stormed the city’s legislature, spraying graffiti on the walls and ransacking the chambers. And on Sunday, police arrested six people after tens of thousands of protesters marched through an area popular with Chinese tourists.

The chief executive addressed the concerns laid out by protesters, calling demands to grant amnesty to protesters “not acceptable.”

“That bluntly goes against the rule of law in Hong Kong,” she said.

Lam added that a police complaints council would conduct a “fact-finding study” into protests that took place between June 9 and July 2 in order to address claims of police violence.

She also pledged to listen to the concerns of young people who feel the government is out of touch with their concerns. Several protesters have killed themselves in recent weeks, citing growing despair over the political situation in the city.

“We will listen more extensively to people from different backgrounds who have different ideas so we have a better grasp of public opinion.”

While Hong Kong technically operates under a ” One Country, Two Systems” rule with China, its relationship with the mainland is growing more fraught as time passes.

Hong Kong operated under British colonial rule for more than 150 years until its sovereignty was passed on to China in 1997 through an agreement called “the Basic Law.” This allows Hong Kong to maintain its own political, legal, and economic systems separate from China until 2047.

But residents have grown increasingly concerned about China’s encroachment into the semi-autonomous territory, and feel the extradition bill is only a portion of a much larger issue.

In 2014, large scale protests labeled “The Umbrella Movement” erupted, calling for fair and free elections without Chinese interference. Just under 1,000 people were arrested during the months-long protests, according to Amnesty International, many of whom faced judicial proceedings.

Lam admitted that protests in 2014, as well as current demonstrations, highlighted a further divide within Hong Kong society between the people and its leadership.

“Both exercises have caused a lot of grievances, unhappiness, and tensions in society. I believe they reflect not only one incident, but some fundamental and deep-seated problems in Hong Kong.”

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