The month-long protests in Hong Kong have apparently paid off: Prime Minister Carrie Lam will not realize the controversial extradition law. This was reported by Lam after an internal meeting with MPs and Hong Kong delegates to the Chinese People's Congress.
With a formal withdrawal of the draft, the head of government fulfilled a substantial demand of the demonstrators and signaled for the first time concretely.
The law allowed for the delivery of suspects to China, although its judicial system is not independent and is often used as a tool of political persecution. After the first protests, the head of government had initially suspended the draft and later declared "dead", but without completely withdrawing it.
Further demand of the demonstrators
Whether the decision Lams also meant an end to the sometimes violent rallies remained open. Because the demonstrators also demand the release of all detainees and the right of Hong Kong to choose their own leadership. However, Hong Kong stock closed more than four percent higher after Lams announced it.
Shortly before German Chancellor Angela Merkel's visit to China, protester leader Joshua Wong called for assistance in an open letter.
After the transfer to China in 1997, the former British Crown Colony of Hong Kong was granted special rights, such as freedom of expression, which are taboo in the People's Republic under the formula "one country, two systems". These rights see the government critics now at risk. China has repeatedly sharply criticized the protests and warned against impacting Hong Kong's economy. The leadership in Beijing threatened that they would not stand idly by, should the turmoil threaten China's sovereignty and security.