China drawing up plan to replace Hong Kong's Carrie Lam, says report

Beijing: Beijing is drawing up a plan to remove Hong Kong’s beleaguered Chief Executive Carrie Lam, the Financial Times reported on Wednesday, after nearly five months of pro-democracy unrest. The pro-Beijing leader has faced sustained criticism from protesters in the semi-autonomous city.

So far, the Chinese central government has given its support to her and the Hong Kong police, calling the demonstrators 'rioters' and condemning the violence. But according to the FT report, which quoted unnamed figures briefed on the deliberations, Beijing is drawing up a plan to replace her with an interim chief executive. However, sources told the newspaper that the plan would be dependent on the situation in the city first stabilising so that the central government is not seen as giving in to violence. “The central government firmly supports Hong Kong chief executive Carrie Lam to put an end to violence and chaos and restore order as soon as possible,” foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying told a press briefing. Lam’s office said it would not comment on speculation.

EXTRADITION BILL WITHDRAWN

Hong Kong on Wednesday withdrew an unpopular extradition bill that sparked months of chaotic protests that have since morphed into a campaign for greater democratic change. “I now formally announce the withdrawal of the bill,” Secretary for Security John Lee told the city’s legislature. The long-expected scrapping of the bill was overshadowed by the drama surrounding the release from a Hong Kong prison of the murder suspect at the heart of the extradition case controversy.