China 'supports' suspension of Hong Kong extradition bill

June 15, 2019 @ 7:15PM
By AFP

Protesters attend the 'Hong Kong Mothers Anti-Extradition Rally', in protest against actions of the city's police force in recent demonstrations against a proposed extradition bill, in Hong Kong on June 14, 2019. - Hong Kong's embattled leader faced mounting pressure on June 14 to abandon a deeply unpopular plan to allow extraditions to China, with protest organisers getting police go-ahead to hold a new rally at the weekend. - AFP

Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam attends a news conference in Hong Kong, China. - REUTERS

SHANGHAI: China's government said on Saturday it supported the decision of Hong Kong's leader to suspend an unpopular bill that would allow extraditions to China and which sparked a week of protests.

A Chinese foreign ministry spokesman called the decision, announced hours earlier by Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam, an attempt to "listen more widely to the views of the community and restore calm to the community as soon as possible."

"We support, respect and understand this decision," ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said in a statement.