No Need To Worry About HK Freedoms: Carrie Lam

Chief Executive Carrie Lam said on Tuesday that there is no need for people to worry about freedoms in Hong Kong because of the new security law Beijing is planning for the city, saying the SAR has shown over the past two decades that it will uphold its core values.

But Lam said that as the details of the new law are yet to be known, those who are raising concerns should wait to see what the legislation entails.

Speaking to reporters ahead of the weekly Executive Council meeting, she said state leaders have given assurances that the rights and liberties that Hongkongers enjoy won't be affected.

She said some of the concerns that are being raised, like mainland agents coming down and arresting people in the SAR "are imaginations or things that were said by some people".

"We are a free society. For the time being people have the freedom to say whatever they want to say," she said.

"But ultimately what is to be provided in this piece of legislation is for all of us to see, in order to be assured that Hong Kong's freedoms will be preserved," said Lam.

Lam pointed out that thousands of protests are allowed to take place in the city and said this is proof of the freedom that people enjoy. But the protests have to be carried out within the law, she said.

The CE also said her administration will work hard to explain the new law to the public.