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WORLD NEWS Wednesday 25 september 2019

Hong Kong leader hopes town hall will be start of healing

By RAF WOBER under a "one country, two
Associated Press systems" framework intro-
HONG KONG (AP) — Hong duced when the former
Kong leader Carrie Lam British colony returned to
said Tuesday she doesn't Chinese rule in 1997.
expect a town hall meeting The Hong Kong govern-
this week will find answers ment has called off an an-
to the months-long pro- nual Oct. 1 fireworks dis-
democracy protests but play.
hopes it will be a step for- Local media reported that
ward in the "long journey" guests at the National Day
to reconciliation. reception will stay indoors
Lam said she is encour- to watch the flag-raising
aged that more than ceremony at a waterfront
20,000 people have signed square.
up for Thursday's commu- Pro-Beijing lawmaker Mi-
nity dialogue, out of which chael Tien warned of "un-
only 150 will be selected precedented violence" on
randomly. It will be the first Oct. 1 with possible blood-
such meeting since the pro- shed, and said Beijing is
tests started in early June. prepared for "very ugly
The Beijing-backed leader scenes."
is hoping to tone down He told Radio Television
emotions amid fears that Hong Kong that Beijing has
violence could spike further Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam speaks to reporters' during a press conference at the determined that only Chi-
with more protests planned government building in Hong Kong Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2019. nese military intervention
this weekend ahead of Associated Press can quell the unrest but
Oct. 1 celebrations of the a consensus to be reached and her colleagues might with protesters setting street has decided to let the pro-
ruling Chinese Communist after all these tensions in so- not be welcomed by the fires and vandalizing pub- tests continue to "show the
Party's 70th year in power. ciety that we have seen," public. On Sunday, po- lic utilities, causing police whole world how commit-
The unrest was sparked by Lam said at a news confer- lice had to rescue Secre- to fire tear gas and water ted and sincere they are
an extradition bill that has ence. tary for Constitutional and cannons. to the one country, two sys-
since been withdrawn, but "To me, this is one step for- Mainland Affairs Patrick Nip This past weekend, some tems" policy.
protesters have widened ward. It will be a long jour- after an angry crowd sur- protesters also trampled Separately, the world's
their demands to include ney to achieve reconcilia- rounded his car as he was and burned Chinese flags. top brewer, AB InBev, an-
direct elections for the tion in society, let alone to leaving a public event. Lam backed Hong Kong's nounced Tuesday it will
city's leaders and police return to the more normal "If our reaching out is a police force amid public price its Asian Budweiser
accountability. Hong Kong that we are all source of major tension, criticism of its use of force, initial public offering at 27
Lam said there is no agen- very familiar with." then we have to think saying it was "quite remark- Hong Kong dollars ($3.44)
da for the town hall, which Security is expected to be twice whether we should able" by international stan- and will enlarge its offering
is meant as an open plat- tight at the town hall meet- do that," Lam said. dards that no one has died size to 1.45 billion shares,
form for the public to vent ing, which will be held at More than 1,500 people in the protests. from 1.3 million earlier, to
its complaints and find a a stadium in Hong Kong's have been arrested since "You ask me when that sort meet demand.
way out of the conflict. Wan Chai neighborhood. the protests started. The of restraint will disappear, This will raise about 39.2 bil-
She said the two-hour ses- Participants will be banned demonstrations, which I really can't tell you," she lion Hong Kong dollars ($5
sion will be considered a from bringing items includ- have included peaceful said, reiterating her call for billion), making it the big-
success if the dialogue is ing umbrellas, gas masks human chains and mass violence to stop. gest IPO in the city this year
peaceful with a frank and or helmets — tools used by singing in malls, usually Many Hong Kong residents in a boost to the govern-
candid exchange of views. protesters. peak during weekends and fear Beijing is eroding the ment's morale amid the
"It would not be possible for Lam acknowledged she turn violent late in the day, city's rights and freedoms unrest.q