CAN’T HAVE IT BOTH WAYS

Hong Kong Leader Denies Trying to Resign Despite Leaked Audio Recording

Carrie Lam was caught on tape telling business leaders that she would resign over Hong Kong protests if she had a choice.

Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam has denied that she offered her resignation to Beijing—even after she was recorded saying she would quit “if she could.” In a leaked audio tape of a private meeting that has been published by Reuters, Lam can be heard apologizing for the protests and lamenting her position. “The political room for the chief executive who, unfortunately, has to serve two masters by constitution, that is the central people’s government and the people of Hong Kong, that political room for maneuvering is very, very, very limited,” she says on the tape. “If I have a choice, the first thing is to quit, having made a deep apology, is to step down.” Early Tuesday, the BBC reported that Lam told reporters she had “never tendered any resignation,” but that she did not dispute the authenticity of the audio tape. Lam introduced legislation that would allow extradition of criminal suspects to China, which set off 13 weeks of violent protests.