Hong Kong’s opposition prevents Carrie Lam’s motion on joint rail checkpoint plan

Opposition lawmakers on Wednesday rebuffed a motion to push forward a controversial joint checkpoint plan for the high-speed rail link to mainland China, dealing a blow to Hong Kong’s leader.

Pan-democrats filibustered the non-binding motion that would have allowed Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor to get moving on the so-called co-location plan. The plan would give mainland officials almost full jurisdiction over part of the West Kowloon terminal leased to them.

The pan-democrats see the arrangement as undermining the city’s autonomy granted in its mini-constitution, the Basic Law.

They criticised Lam for postponing a debate on stamp duty at the Legislative Council on Wednesday to force a discussion on the co-location proposal.

Lam lashed out at the opposition for their filibustering, but said the development showed the need to reshuffle Legco’s agenda.

“This has actually proven that we have grounds to adjourn the debate on the stamp duty bill … or else the filibuster would even take longer,” Lam said, adding she had never expected the motion would be approved in a single meeting.