Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam slammed by activists for refusing to withdraw China extradition bill despite admitting it’s ‘dead’

HONG Kong’s leader has been slammed for "for another ridiculous lie" for claiming the region's controversial Chinese extradition bill is “dead” but refusing to withdraw it.

The region’s most senior politician Carrie Lam admitted today that the legislation, which sparked riots and a political crisis, has been a “total failure.”

Yet, Lam refused to confirm that the bill will be formally withdrawn and protesters are persisting in their demands for it to be officially killed off.

Political activist , 22, branded her remarks “another ridiculous lie,” because “the bill still exists in the legislative programme until July next year.”

He claims that unless the bill is formally withdrawn, it could easily be resurrected in the future when protests have died down.

The controversial bill means Hong Kong citizens could be extradited to face trial in mainland China – where the courts are controlled by the Communist Party.

Opponents of the bill argue that they would not be allowed a fair trial by the Beijing government and that opponents of China’s government would be targeted.

We cannot find the word 'dead' in any of the laws in Hong Kong

Hong Kong, which was under British rule until 1997, has democratic freedoms which are separate from China which is a one-party state.

This is known as the 'one country, two systems' policy and is incredibly important to Hong Kong's people.

The violent protests sparked by the bill have rocked the region.

An investigation has opened into heavy-handed tactics used by police against demonstrators.

Hundreds of thousands have joined the month-long protests, expressing growing concerns about the steady erosion of civil rights in the semi-autonomous Chinese territory.

"We cannot find the word 'dead' in any of the laws in Hong Kong or in any legal proceedings in the Legislative Council," protest leaders Jimmy Sham and Bonnie Leung said in statements.

"So how can the government tell us that we should preserve our rule of law, when (Lam) herself does not use the principle of the rule of law," the two said.

The protest leaders also said Lam was being hypocritical in claiming to have met demonstrators' demands without actually speaking to them directly.

"Instead, she should really stand out and talk to the young protesters," Leung said.

"The young protesters have been out in the street outside her house, outside government headquarters, for weeks, roaring to be heard."

Details about future protest actions will be announced at a later time, Leung said.

Lam said today that there were "lingering doubts about the government's sincerity or worries about whether it would seek to bring the legislation back for a vote."

But she said: "I reiterate here, there is no such plan. The bill is dead."

In the most recent protest on Sunday, tens of thousands of people, chanting "Free Hong Kong" and some carrying British colonial-era flags, marched toward a high-speed railway station that connects Hong Kong to the Chinese mainland.

They said they wanted to carry their protest message to those on the mainland, where state-run media have not covered the protests widely but have focused instead on clashes with police and property damage.

Last week saw protesters brandishing the Union Jack as they stormed Hong Kong's parliament building.

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