Will extradition bill withdrawal appease or embolden Hong Kong protesters? Pro-Beijing camp fears it will fuel tensions
- Before broadcast, Lam met with pro-establishment camp at her home, with some lawmakers thinking they may be consulted on invoking emergency law
- Some complained Lam had failed to consult them, two voiced opposition to giving protesters ‘a victory’ while others feared for November’s district council elections
Almost across the board, Hong Kong’s pro-Beijing camp expressed scepticism that the embattled leader’s sudden U-turn on a full withdrawal of the extradition bill would help stop the violence that has rocked the city for three months, with some even fearing it might fuel an escalation.
Scholars also believed the “too little, too late” withdrawal would do little to pacify protesters whose focus had shifted from opposition to the legislation to the overall governance of the city.
However, some pro-establishment figures still held out hope that the move could be the first step to appeal to citizens and more moderate demonstrators.
Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor announced the formal withdrawal of the extradition bill – which would have allowed the transfer of fugitives to mainland China among other jurisdictions – on Wednesday. It meant the government had finally acceded to one of the protesters’ five demands.
Before the broadcast, Lam met with the pro-establishment camp at her official residence, Government House, to explain her decision.
Those invited included all 43 pro-establishment lawmakers, together with Hong Kong deputies to the National People’s Congress, as well as the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference.