'China Not Aiming To Harm Foreigners In HK'

A vice-president of Beijing's top think tank on Hong Kong, Lau Siu-kai, said on Tuesday that he doesn't think the central government is planning to use Hong Kong as a base to do anything harmful to foreigners and worries about extradition law changes are unfounded.

"It is appropriate for [Chief Executive] Carrie Lam to talk to them and try to relieve their anxieties and fears," Lau said, a day after some foreign consuls reportedly told lawmakers of their concerns about the changes.

"But basically I don't think these foreign governments are that much worried about the amendments to the fugitive bill. Because there is no evidence so far that China is going to use Hong Kong as a base to do anything harmful to foreigners," the mainland analyst said.

The vice-president of the Chinese Association of Hong Kong and Macau Studies said he thinks foreign countries and critics have exaggerated their concerns at a time when the US and China are embroiled in a trade war.

Lau told RTHK's Candice Wong that he thinks there's little room for the SAR government to change the proposed amendments to the Fugitive Offenders Ordinance, as they have been drafted according to United Nations' standards.

He also said that he doesn't think any changes to the government's bill would gain favour from the opposition.