Some external forces are trying to undermine relations between China's central government and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) by making use of the discussion on amendments to the HKSAR's fugitive offenders law, HKSAR Chief Executive Carrie Lam said on Tuesday.

Lam made the remarks while meeting the press ahead of attending a meeting of HKSAR's Executive Council. She said the discussion over amendments to HKSAR's Fugitive Offenders Ordinance and Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters Ordinance was initiated by the HKSAR government.

However, some foreign governments or external forces joined in and took the chance to damage the relations between the central government and HKSAR, and attack the Chinese mainland's judicial and human rights system.

Due to the interference of external forces, the issue has been shifted from HKSAR's internal affairs to the level of "one country, two systems" and the constitutionality concerning the Basic Law, she said.

Last month, the HKSAR government submitted a draft bill to the Legislative Council (LegCo) for discussion, proposing amending the two ordinances to allow case-based cooperation between HKSAR and jurisdictions that have no effective long-term arrangement with Hong Kong on judicial assistance in criminal matters.

The HKSAR government has reiterated that the amendments are meant to deal with a 2018 murder case that happened in Taiwan but involved a Hong Kong suspect who has returned to Hong Kong, and close a loophole in Hong Kong's existing legal framework concerning mutual legal assistance in criminal cases.