Frank Chan Hopeful Of XRL Bill Passing Next Week

The Secretary for Transport, Frank Chan, said on Saturday he hopes the Legislative Council can pass the government’s co-location bill next week.

A Legco bills committee scrutinising the bill will meet on Monday, and pro-democracy lawmakers have put forward 30 amendments in a bid to stall its progress.

Chan said the amendments are irrelevant to the bill, which would allow mainland officers to operate and enforce mainland laws at the West Kowloon terminus of the cross-border high-speed rail link.

“I would very much hope the draft bill will be passed by early next week,” said Chan. “But I fully appreciate that the number of amendments being tabled by fellow members of the legislature are basically a show of their views and opinions rather than material to the implementation of the law in future.”

Opponents of the plan say allowing mainland officers to enforce national laws at the station will breach the Basic Law and this amounts to ceding land to the mainland.

Authorities say this arrangement is essential to make the new high-speed line convenient for passengers, and are hopeful it can begin operating in September.