- Chief executive warns Hongkongers of the consequences for city's future post-2047 from attacking the way it is now governed
- Lawmakers thrown out of chamber after Lam is heckled during her first Legislative Council question and answer session of the year
Hong Kong capitalism can only continue beyond 2047 if Beijing's "one country, two systems" is upheld by Hongkongers, especially the younger generation, Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor warned on Thursday.
The city's leader said attacking the governing principle which gave Hong Kong a high degree of autonomy put its liberal economic model at risk in the long run.
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The agreement between Britain and China for the 1997 handover guaranteed for 50 years the retention of Hong Kong's legal, financial and political systems.
Amid months of anti-government protests triggered by the administration's now-withdrawn extradition bill, Lam issued a stark warning to the younger generation to cherish the one country, two systems principle.
In her first question and answer session of the year at the Legislative Council, Lam said: "I want to tell the young people, who were mostly born after the handover, to treasure one country, two systems … instead of bringing damage to this important system due to misunderstanding.
"Otherwise, they will be creating the situation that they are in fact worried about today."
The chief executive added that one country, two systems ensured the city's younger generation grew up, and were educated, in a stable and prosperous environment.
Lam was responding to a question by pro-establishment lawmaker Ann Chiang Lai-wan, who said the city's youth were anxious about their future beyond 2047.
Under Article 5 of the Basic Law, the city's mini-constitution, Beijing promised that Hong Kong's capitalist way of life would remain unchanged for 50 years after it returned to Chinese rule in 1997.
"After 2047, would it become 'one country, one system'? How would you convince young people that it will still be one country, two systems by then?" Chiang asked.
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The chief executive said full understanding and implementation of the governing principle would give "sufficient ground" for people to believe that Beijing's existing policy would extend beyond 2047.
"We must defend the foundation of 'one country' and respect the differences between 'two systems'. Only with that, can one country, two systems progress forward," Lam said.
"If everyone treasured one country two systems, I don't see that worry (of whether it would continue beyond 2047)."
In her opening speech, Lam said the political crisis had brought about "shocking" levels of violence and destruction to the city.
"Numerous inaccurate reports and fake information circulated online had seriously damaged Hong Kong's international reputation for peace, rationality, safety and lawfulness," Lam said.
The chief executive also said she was worried about businesses closing and employees being fired after the Lunar New Year holidays, but said she believed the economy could recover if social order returned.
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Lam said the government was close to establishing an independent review committee to look into deep-seated divisions in society and the causes of the ongoing unrest.
The identity of committee members would be revealed next month, she added.
During Lam's speech, pan-democrats protested from their seats.
"Carrie Lam step down," Council Front lawmaker Eddie Chu Hoi-dick chanted, describing her as "useless".
Civic Party lawmaker Kwok Ka-ki challenged Lam, saying the violence was brought on by police's use of force.
Rejecting allegations of police misconduct, Lam said: "I do not accept people describing the handling of the seven-months long social unrest as involving police brutality.
"If no one was breaking the law, why would police be enforcing the law?"
Lam was interrupted by Council Front legislator Claudia Mo Man-ching, who called the chief executive a liar before being ejected.
The city's leader had earlier rejected a popular demand from the public to set up an independent, judge-led probe into police's use of force during the protests.
Other unmet demands from the anti-government movement include amnesty for those arrested and a revival of the city's stalled political reform process.
Since last June, activists have held peaceful mass protests to champion their cause, but radical elements have resorted to petrol bomb and other violent attacks, while police have deployed tear gas, rubber bullets and even live rounds.
Legco president Andrew Leung Kwan-yuen expelled Chu and 10 other pro-democracy lawmakers from the chamber during Thursday's session.
Pro-Beijing lawmaker Luk Chung-hung, of the Federation of Trade Unions, was also thrown out for heckling the Democratic Party's James To Kun-sun.
In the 1 1/2 hour session, Lam was questioned by lawmakers over the city's economy, support for its workforce and the implementation of one country, two systems.
Pro-government lawmakers were also on the offensive, challenging Lam over her handling of the protests.
Eunice Yung Hoi-yan, of the New People's Party, demanded Lam and her cabinet took a 10 per cent pay cut as a way of taking some responsibility for the political crisis.
"No cabinet member had resigned and you are unwilling to cut ministers' salaries … how could you convince the public that you are willing to be held accountable?" Yung asked.
Lam responded that no one has handled unrest on a similar scale before.
"My cabinet and I must deal with the current deadlock if we are to be responsible," Lam said.
Pro-government lawmaker Chan Hoi-yan asked why a new HK$10 billion welfare package announced on Tuesday were not brought forward earlier, saying: "If the government thought there was an urgency to the measures, why not propose them at the policy address three months earlier?"
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