Govt Lobs Ball Back To Legco As Bill Row Rolls On

The standoff over controversial extradition law amendments looks set to continue after the administration lobbed the ball back to lawmakers, saying it won't be stepping in to resolve the Legco deadlock over a bills committee.

Lawmakers on both sides of the council seem to agree on the need for tripartite talks to resolve the deadlock, after the pro-government side again failed to hold a bills committee meeting with Abraham Shek presiding.

The impasse led to lawmakers on both sides urging the Carrie Lam administration to call a meeting to discuss the issue.

But announcing the government's response, Chief Secretary Matthew Cheung said while the authorities are perfectly willing to discuss legal issues relating to the proposed amendments, the election of a bills committee chairman is strictly a procedural issue for the legislature.

"It is an internal procedure of the Legislative Council and it has to be ironed out internally. It would be improper for the executive authorities to interfere in the internal procedure issues of the legislature," Hong Kong's number two official said.

Asked about the call for tripartite talks, Cheung again repeated the government stance that it is willing to listen. "Any political parties that want to come to see us, express their views ... they are more than welcome," he said.

The chief secretary was accompanied by security minister John Lee, but he didn't say anything and did not take questions.