Hong Kong’s Leader Scraps Extradition Bill That Sparked Historic Unrest
- Embattled leader makes about-face on key protester demand
- Broader movement against Beijing’s rule expected to continue
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Hong Kong’s embattled leader, Carrie Lam, formally withdrew legislation to allow extraditions to China, a political retreat that may help ease -- but not end -- months of unrest in the Asian financial hub.
Lam announced the move in a televised address Wednesday, after a meeting with pro-establishment politicians including local legislators and the city’s representatives to national legislative bodies. She also pledged an independent study of the government’s performance and reaffirmed her commitment to reviewing the police actions -- while saying she couldn’t accept other protester demands such as dropping rioting charges against demonstrators.