Hong Kong government will announce pause on unpopular extradition bill by afternoon
- Officials to hit pause button on passage of bill ahead of Sunday protests
- Beijing officials in charge of Hong Kong affairs meeting in Shenzhen on bill
Hong Kong’s embattled government will hit the pause button on its controversial extradition bill as early as Saturday afternoon, sources have told the Post, after Beijing officials in charge of the city’s affairs held meetings in neighbouring Shenzhen to seek a solution to a crisis that has made international headlines.
City leader Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor was expected to announce the decision at 3pm at the government headquarters.
It is understood that officials were assessing the pros and cons of pausing the legislation or pressing ahead rather than a total withdrawal of the bill, which would allow Hong Kong to transfer fugitives to jurisdictions it lacks an extradition arrangement with, including mainland China.
Another source confirmed Lam held a late-night meeting with key government officials in the city and would hold another on Saturday morning to go over similar options.
A senior pro-establishment politician also told the Post Lam and top officials would meet all pro-government lawmakers – who hold 43 of 70 Legislative Council seats – at her office in Government House at noon to explain the thinking behind the postponement.