'Govt Sincere In Responding To People's Concerns'

Chief Secretary Matthew Cheung said on Monday that the government was sincere in responding to people's concerns, but condemned "radical action" taken by a small number of people protesting against the government's extradition bill who attempted to storm the Legislative Council complex.

Cheung said the government respects the different views expressed over the bill, and the fact that it had amended the proposal twice already showed it was sincere in responding to people's concerns.

But when asked whether the government would consider shelving the controversial bill following the mass protest, Cheung reiterated that it’s necessary to amend the law and that he hoped people would discuss the issue in a “calm and rational manner”.

The violent clashes broke out after midnight, following a largely peaceful march from Causeway Bay to the government headquarters in Tamar on Sunday which organisers said more than a million people took part.

Meanwhile, non-official members of the Executive Council issued a statement on Monday saying the peaceful protest against the government’s extradition bill showed Hong Kong people enjoy freedom of expression and of assembly.

But it added they expressed regrets over what it calls “violent acts of a small number of protesters” which happened after midnight near the Legco complex.

The members say they hope the government will continue with its publicity work, and call on the public to look at the bill in “a calm and reasonable manner” and support the proposed law change.

But pan democratic lawmaker Chu Hoi-dick said the government, and not protesters, should bear the responsibility for the clashes.

“It is the government’s tactics to shift the focus of the mass media to the clashes and try to condemn activists for their actions. But the origin of the clashes is crystal clear – it is because the government did not respond positively to the protest demand that caused the clashes afterwards,” he said.