'Remarkably effective': Carrie Lam praises Hong Kong national security law

Chief executive says in annual address the city's problems driven by external forces' and pandemic

Hong Kong's chief executive, Carrie Lam, has defended the crackdown on opposition by her government and Beijing, and praised the widely criticised national security law - while seeking to blame the city's woes on foreign interference and the pandemic.

Lam's annual policy address - which was postponed from October to allow for further consultation with Beijing - was delivered on Wednesday to a legislative council without its opposition members after the mass resignation of the pro-democracy caucus.