HONG KONG (AP) — Hong Kong's leader says a highly controversial extradition bill will proceed to the territory's legislature.

Carrie Lam's comments on Tuesday came after hundreds of thousands of people took to the streets in the semi-autonomous Chinese territory over the weekend to protest the legislative proposal that would allow criminal suspects to be extradited to mainland China. The protest appeared to be Hong Kong's largest in more than a decade and reflected growing apprehension about relations with the Communist Party-ruled mainland.

Lam said the government had considered concerns from the private sector and altered the bill to improve human rights safeguards.

The full Hong Kong legislature is expected to resume debate on the amendments on Wednesday, and a vote is expected this month.