Hong Kong, June 10 (TIWN) Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam on Monday reaffirmed her backing for a new bill allowing extradition to mainland China that has prompted massive protests, although she said the region's government would ensure the protection of suspects' human rights.

Lam said in a press conference that the proposed law would include legally-binding safeguards to prevent the jurisdictions asking for extradition from violating the rights of defendants, but she refused to backpedal her government's push for the controversial bill, Efe news reported. While Lam acknowledged that "a very large number of people" had taken to the streets on Sunday to protest the measure - organisers estimated that over one million demonstrators took part, though the police gave a count of 240,000 protesters - she said there were many "opposite views" supporting the new legislation.