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Hong Kong high-speed rail
Hong KongPolitics

High-speed rail link border checkpoint in Hong Kong ‘has public support’ says city leader Carrie Lam

Chief executive announces non-binding motion on October 25 to launch debate on co-location proposal

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Officials argue that co-location is lawful as the mainland port area will be leased to the mainland. Photo: EPA
Tony CheungandKimmy Chung

Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor is pressing ahead with controversial plans to set up a joint checkpoint in the city for the cross-border high-speed rail link, citing opinion polls showing that the “majority of Hong Kong people” support the arrangement.

Heading into her weekly cabinet meeting on Tuesday, Lam said the government would present a non-binding motion to the Legislative Council on October 25 to debate the so-called “co-location” plan.

She also agreed to lawmakers’ request that she attend question and answer sessions with them once or twice a month in addition to the traditional four times a year.

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Lam was speaking two days after thousands of Hongkongers took to the streets to oppose her “authoritarian rule” and demand the resignation of justice minister Rimsky Yuen Kwok-keung, whom they accused of damaging the city’s rule of law. Organisers said 40,000 took part, while police put the figure at 4,300.
The pan-democrats are strongly opposed to the co-location of immigration checkpoints, as this would give mainland Chinese officers almost full jurisdiction over the zone leased to them at the West Kowloon terminus of the rail link to Shenzhen and Guangzhou. They argue it contradicts Article 18 of the Basic Law, the city’s mini-constitution, which states that mainland Chinese laws shall not be applied in Hong Kong under the “one country, two systems” policy.

National Day protest in Hong Kong draws 40,000 to streets, organisers claim

Officials counter that the arrangement will be lawful as the area will be officially leased to the mainland.

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