London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Wednesday, Jul 30, 2025

Hong Kong's Lam told: 'You are the laughing stock of the world'

City's chief executive tells members of Legislative Council that 'one country, two systems' still possible beyond 2047.

Hong Kong's leader faced off with a hostile Legislative Council on Thursday, fending off sharp criticism from pro-democracy and pro-Beijing members, while defending police from allegations of brutality against protesters.

In her first question-and-answer session of 2020, Chief Executive Carrie Lam also said Hong Kong's "one country, two systems" could continue beyond the 2047 deadline as long as the city's "loyalty" to Beijing was upheld.

"Only if we insist implementing 'one country, two systems' principle and practice it continuously and fully ... then I think there will be enough grounds for 'one country, two systems' to move ahead smoothly and there would be no change after 2047," Lam said in her remarks.

"We have to uphold the principle of 'One Country,' only by doing this, can 'one country, two systems' be moving forward smoothly."

She repeatedly defended the police response to the seven-month long protest in the city, saying there was no such thing as "police brutality", and that protesters were "smearing" Hong Kong's security force.


START HERE |Hong Kong protests (8:23)

Lam said the police were simply enforcing the law, and only responding to the violence of protesters.


'Pay cut' for Lam

Alvin Yeung, a member of the council and Civic Party leader, however, rejected Lam's explanation telling her: "You are the laughing stock of the world. Do you know what shame is?"

Yeung held up a sign reading "Shame", before voluntarily leaving the legislative chamber.

Lam sat sternly as several pro-democracy members expressed their frustration at her handing of the protests.

Roy Kwong, another legislative member, asked Lam when she was going to order the creation of an independent commission to investigate the alleged rights abuses committed by police and called for her resignation.

"When are you going to pack up and leave? When are you going to step down?"

The council meeting was repeatedly disrupted, as members shouted at Lam, before being they were evicted from the chamber. Claudia Mo was heard shouting at Lam: "Bloody liar", before walking out.

Lam further infuriated council members when she said that young protesters "lack knowledge" of Hong Kong's Basic Law.

Even pro-Beijing legislator, Eunice Yung, told Lam that she bore the biggest responsibility for the turmoil in the city, adding that no official had been held accountable for the unrest.

Yung also asked when Lam and other cabinet officials would take the lead and accept a "pay cut".

Lam said she needed time to consider Yung's proposal.

Hong Kong has been racked by often violent anti-government protests since June, although they have recently diminished in scale.

Some 6,000 people have been arrested, with 1,000 charged, many of them young protesters and student activists.

Hong Kong was handed over from British to Chinese rule in 1997 with a promise that it would maintain its own capitalist economy and Western-style institutions for 50 years.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Former Judge Charged After Drunk Driving Crash Kills Comedian in Brazil
Jeff Bezos hasn’t paid a dollar in taxes for decades. He makes billions and pays $0 in taxes, LEGALLY
China Increases Use of Exit Bans Amid Rising U.S. Tensions
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
Procter & Gamble to Raise U.S. Prices to Offset One‑Billion‑Dollar Tariff Cost
House Republicans Move to Defund OECD Over Global Tax Dispute
Botswana Seeks Controlling Stake in De Beers as Anglo American Prepares Exit
Trump Administration Proposes Repeal of Obama‑Era Endangerment Finding, Dismantling Regulatory Basis for CO₂ Emissions Limits
France Opens Criminal Investigation into X Over Algorithm Manipulation Allegations
A family has been arrested in the UK for displaying the British flag
Mel Gibson refuses to work with Robert De Niro, saying, "Keep that woke clown away from me."
Trump Steamrolls EU in Landmark Trade Win: US–EU Trade Deal Imposes 15% Tariff on European Imports
ChatGPT CEO Sam Altman says people share personal info with ChatGPT but don’t know chats can be used as court evidence in legal cases.
The British propaganda channel BBC News lies again.
Deputy attorney general's second day of meeting with Ghislaine Maxwell has concluded
Controversial March in Switzerland Features Men Dressed in Nazi Uniforms
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
Thai Civilian Death Toll Rises to 12 in Cambodian Cross-Border Attacks
TSUNAMI: Trump Just Crossed the Rubicon—And There’s No Turning Back
Over 120 Criminal Cases Dismissed in Boston Amid Public Defender Shortage
UN's Top Court Declares Environmental Protection a Legal Obligation Under International Law
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
The Podcaster Who Accidentally Revealed He Earns Over $10 Million a Year
Trump Announces $550 Billion Japanese Investment and New Trade Agreements with Indonesia and the Philippines
US Treasury Secretary Calls for Institutional Review of Federal Reserve Amid AI‑Driven Growth Expectations
UK Government Considers Dropping Demand for Apple Encryption Backdoor
Severe Flooding in South Korea Claims Lives Amid Ongoing Rescue Operations
Japanese Man Discovers Family Connection Through DNA Testing After Decades of Separation
Russia Signals Openness to Ukraine Peace Talks Amid Escalating Drone Warfare
Switzerland Implements Ban on Mammography Screening
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
Pogacar Extends Dominance with Stage Fifteen Triumph at Tour de France
CEO Resigns Amid Controversy Over Relationship with HR Executive
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
NVIDIA Achieves $4 Trillion Valuation Amid AI Demand
US Revokes Visas of Brazilian Corrupted Judges Amid Fake Bolsonaro Investigation
U.S. Congress Approves Rescissions Act Cutting Federal Funding for NPR and PBS
North Korea Restricts Foreign Tourist Access to New Seaside Resort
Brazil's Supreme Court Imposes Radical Restrictions on Former President Bolsonaro
Centrist Criticism of von der Leyen Resurfaces as she Survives EU Confidence Vote
Judge Criticizes DOJ Over Secrecy in Dropping Charges Against Gang Leader
Apple Closes $16.5 Billion Tax Dispute With Ireland
Von der Leyen Faces Setback Over €2 Trillion EU Budget Proposal
UK and Germany Collaborate on Global Military Equipment Sales
Trump Plans Over 10% Tariffs on African and Caribbean Nations
Flying Taxi CEO Reclaims Billionaire Status After Stock Surge
Epstein Files Deepen Republican Party Divide
Zuckerberg Faces $8 Billion Privacy Lawsuit From Meta Shareholders
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
SpaceX Nears $400 Billion Valuation With New Share Sale
×