Liberal Party Says Talk Useful, But Worries Linger

The Liberal Party which organised a meeting between the business sector and Security Secretary John Lee on the extradition bill on Tuesday termed the talks as "helpful", but some of the attendees said they were still worried about the planned changes.

Around a hundred people attended the two-hour meeting, where the minister and other officials briefed them and answered their questions.

Speaking afterwards, Liberal Party leader Felix Chung said the meeting had helped address a lot of the sector's concerns.

But the lawmaker also said his party will have to discuss whether to vote in support of the bill, and he will still introduce some amendments.

Speaking after the meeting, Lee said the government will continue to work hard to explain the bill.

But Simon Shi, an honorary chairman of the Small and Medium Enterprises Association, told the media later that the minister did not answer his concerns at the meeting.

Shi said he is still scared that businessmen will no longer be protected in Hong Kong.

He said corruption is widespread on the mainland and SMEs have to bribe officials there, but businessmen fear they have become vulnerable.

But lawmaker Tommy Cheung dismissed such concerns. "For one or two people, may be no matter what you explain to them because of their past experience or because of their constituents, they have certain feelings on certain issues," he said.

"Overall the secretary and his colleagues have explained quite explicitly on a lot of questions."

"I saw a lot of people nodding their heads and normally in a Q&A like this, even though they're very polite, if they don't like their answers... they wouldn't be clapping and thanking the officials," Cheung concluded.