Dropping Extradition Plan 'almost Impossible': CE

Chief Executive Carrie Lam said on Thursday that she has no intention of withdrawing a plan to change extradition laws that has proved so controversial that Legco is now in complete deadlock over the bill.

She said Hong Kong people support the move, which will allow extraditions to the mainland for the first time, as well as any other place in the world.

Warning once again that there's a loophole in the current legislation, and that the plan is the only way to deal with a murder case in Taiwan last year, Lam said it would be "almost impossible" to withdraw the extradition bill at this stage.

She told reporters that what she'd like to see instead is a change of heart by pro-democracy lawmakers, and that they start scrutinising the proposed legislation like they are supposed to.

The camp is vehemently opposed to the plan for one-off extradition deals on a case-by-case basis, with their fears over unwarranted renditions to the mainland echoed by various business, political, human rights and legal bodies both in the SAR and abroad.

A fight for control over the bills committee tasked with looking at the legislation – sparked by filibustering by the pan-dems – has stalled the bill's progress for several weeks.

But a defiant CE said the opposition lawmakers should stop obstructing the legislative process and causing chaos in the council.

She said the bill is legally sound, has the backing of the public, and passing it will help Hong Kong implement the "One Country, Two Systems" principle.