Hong Kong Leader Says She Has Never Asked Beijing’s Permission to Resign

(Bloomberg) -- Hong Kong’s chief executive, Carrie Lam, said she had never asked China for permission to resign, acknowledging the leak of audio from a closed door meeting with business leaders.

Lam told a news briefing Tuesday in Hong Kong that she was dedicated to leading the city and committed to dialogue to bring the unrest to an end. “I have never tendered a resignation to the central people’s government,” Lam said, calling the leak “unacceptable.”

The comments follow a fresh wave of pro-democracy protests, including clashes in which demonstrators hurled scores of petrol bombs and police responded with tear gas, water cannons and rubber bullets. The unrest began almost three months ago, when hundreds of thousands of people turned out to oppose Lam’s now-suspended proposal to allow extraditions to mainland China.

Lam has so far refused the protesters’ demands, including the formal withdrawal of the legislation, her resignation and an independent inquiry into the unrest. Lam told a closed door meeting of business people last week that she had caused “unforgivable havoc,” and would quit if she had a choice, Reuters reported late Monday, citing an audio tape of her remarks.

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