Legal Bid Over Fugitives Plan Is No Setback: CE

Chief Executive Carrie Lam has brushed off the threat of a legal challenge over plans for Hong Kong to be able to arrange one-off extradition deals with other jurisdictions saying a judicial review application will not slow down the proposed move.

On Monday billionaire Joseph Lau, who is on the run from Macau after being given a prison term five years ago for bribery, asked the High Court to look at the government's proposals to amend the Fugitive Offenders Ordinance.

Lau said he had been compelled to "exile himself from Hong Kong" over the risk of being handed over to Hong Kong's sister SAR in the future.

Ahead of the weekly Executive Council meeting, Lam wouldn't comment on Lau's case in particular.

But she said that such legal action would not cause any delay to the government's plan.

"The HKSAR government is facing legal challenges on a daily basis. But that doesn't mean that we should put on hold important work which is for the public interest of Hong Kong," Lam said.

The bill, which has come in for strong criticism from pro-democracy legislators, the business sector and human rights groups, is to be put to Legco on Wednesday.