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Hongkongers want high-speed rail link and mainland border plan could progress without Legco support, Carrie Lam warns
City leader denies threatening lawmakers, saying she is doing her duty because Hongkongers want to see the rail link begin on schedule next year
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Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor warned on Thursday that the government could push ahead with joint border checkpoints for the city’s high-speed rail link to mainland China, and not “sit back and watch” as lawmakers filibuster.
The chief executive’s comments came as opposition legislators succeeded in postponing the debate on the so-called co-location plan until next week. Under the plan, the city would lease part of a new rail terminal to the mainland, giving its officials almost full jurisdiction over immigration and customs there.
Pan-democrats have lambasted the plan for undermining the autonomy granted to the city in its mini-constitution, the Basic Law.
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The Legislative Council began discussing the checkpoints at about 12.30pm on Thursday after filibustering from the opposition delayed debate on the motion for several hours the day before.
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But any hope Lam might have had of a smooth passage on Thursday was promptly quashed when pan-democrat Claudia Mo Man-ching moved to adjourn the motion, meaning the chamber then had to debate whether to adjourn. Every member can speak for 15 minutes.
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