National security law: Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam to visit Beijing, opposition lawmaker banned from questioning legislation
- The chief executive, travelling with the city’s top legal and security officials, will reflect her views and public concerns about the new law
- In Hong Kong, Lam’s deputy sparked further controversy by getting the head of the city’s legislature to ban an opposition politician from asking about it
The announcement came as Lam’s deputy sparked further controversy by getting the head of the city’s legislature to ban an opposition lawmaker from asking about the new law, saying it was national-level legislation and therefore not the work of the city government.
The controversial move marked the first time since the city’s return to Chinese sovereignty in 1997 that the Legislative Council had forbidden a lawmaker from raising a question with proper notice given.
The government announced on Tuesday that Lam would head to the capital the next day with Secretary for Justice Teresa Cheng Yeuk-wah, security minister John Lee Ka-chiu and police chief Chris Tang Ping-keung.
The central government “will listen” to Lam’s views over the legislation, the official statement said, but did not detail whom she was going to meet.
