Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam 'sorry' and 'should have done better' after mass protests
Protests have been held over plans which would allow China to extradite Hong Kong residents to the mainland for political trials.
Tuesday 18 June 2019 12:05, UK
Hong Kong's leader has appeared in public to offer her "sincere apology" following mass protests against a proposed extradition law, but has not said she will abandon the bill.
Chief executive Carrie Lam had been facing demonstrators' calls to formally abandon the controversial plans and to resign but failed to do either in a news conference.
However, Ms Lam said the bill, which has already been suspended, won't be brought back any time soon, due to the public outrage.
The bill, which appears to have effectively been shelved for now, would allow China to extradite Hong Kong residents to the mainland for political trials.
Over the past few weeks, hundreds of thousands of people have marched in the former British colony over the bill, with many clashing with police who have fired rubber bullets and used tear gas.
Speaking on Tuesday, Ms Lam, who appeared both contrite and defiant, said: "Because this bill over the past few months has caused so much anxiety, and worries and differences in opinion, I will not, this is an undertaking, I will not proceed again with this legislative exercise if these fears and anxieties cannot be adequately addressed."
Ms Lam, who previously apologised on Sunday in a written statement, reiterated there was no timetable to bring back the extradition bill, saying she would not proceed again with it if concerns cannot be adequately addressed.
She said she had "come to understand that I should have done better," adding that she must "do more to balance the different views".
The courts in China are strictly controlled by the Communist Party, and many critics say the latest bill is yet another example of the country meddling.
Protesters argue the bill would undermine Hong Kong's rule of law, guaranteed by the "one country, two systems" formula, under which Hong Kong returned to China in 1997, by extending China's reach into the city.
They say it would allow individuals to be arbitrarily sent back to China where they could not be guaranteed a fair trial.
Many protest organisers say they will continue to hold street demonstrations until Ms Lam scraps the bill, fearing that authorities may try to revive the legislation in the future when the public mood is calmer.
An estimated two million people marched on Sunday.
The recent clashes are the most violent that Hong Kong has seen in more than 20 years.
In a televised address to the nation during the height of the protests, Ms Lam said she was saddened by the riots and condemned the violence: "We can all have different opinions but there have to be limits on how they are expressed.
"If people think violence is the solution, then things will only get worse. It will harm Hong Kong."