'Beijing's Push Makes It Tough For HK Govt'

Roundtable lawmaker Michael Tien said on Thursday that the liaison office's involvement in the controversy over proposed changes to the extradition law will make it more difficult for the administration to make further amendments to the bill.

The central government's liaison office said in a statement on Wednesday that the government's proposed changes have "sufficient legal basis".

Despite this, Tien said he plans to stick to his own proposal calling for the government to first shelve its plan and deal with the transfer of a Hong Kong man wanted in Taiwan for murder, before amending the SAR's extradition laws.

But Tien said he is not disputing the liaison office's claim that there is a legal basis for the amendments. "But I represent the people. I have to say how I feel, I am not making any demand, I am not threatening," he said.

He said he has written a second letter to Chief Executive Carrie Lam over his suggestion after carrying out a lot more research on the relevant laws.

Tien, who is also an NPC delegate, said he doesn't expect to get to explain his suggestion at a meeting between NPC delegates and liaison office officials scheduled for Friday.

He told RTHK's Janice Wong that these are things that are not to be aired at open forums. "In fact my Putonghua is not as good as you think," he said.