Carrie Lam’s announcement that a controversial extradition bill had been suspended reinforced the Hong Kong chief executive’s reputation as a hard-nosed leader who can “put up a good fight”.

Throughout her press conference on Saturday, Lam adopted a resolute, unapologetic and defensive tone that her critics labelled arrogant and insincere.

In her opening speech, she stuck to her justification of the bill, insisting it was to seek justice for a young Hong Kong woman murdered by her boyfriend in Taiwan – a rationale that many doubted because Taiwan had already said it would not receive the murder suspect. She said she was acting out of “empathy” towards the victim’s family.

Lam defended the bill as “a good thing” that would facilitate international cooperation in bringing fugitives to justice and said she was “perplexed by the extreme reaction” of people who opposed such a “laudable objective”. She suggested it was because they hadn’t examined the content of the proposed legislation.

Play Video 1:38 Indefinite delay to Hong Kong extradition bill announced – video

“To withdraw the bill will be erroneous. I cannot accept it as it’s a needed objective,” she insisted.

Even while acknowledging that hundreds of thousands of people opposed the bill, which could result in suspects being sent for trial in mainland China, Lam insisted it was not the bill that was the problem, but the inadequate communication. And even then, she appeared to blame the opponents, saying she didn’t understand why the communication was not effective enough.

Throughout the press conference, Lam was repeatedly asked whether she would still characterise the protests as a “riot” as she did on Wednesday after the mass protest assembled. After trying to dodge the question several times, she eventually said it was the police authorities who had dubbed it a riot and she agreed with them.

Journalists also asked whether she felt compelled to apologise to the unarmed people who had been shot at by police with rubber bullets and teargas, and hit by batons, and whether she would consider releasing innocent people who had been arrested. She insisted that “everything must be done according to the law” and it was “only fair and reasonable” for the police to enforce the law. She argued that some of the protesters had instigated violence by throwing bricks at officers.

Lam refused to apologise but said she was “heartbroken” over injuries among the police, before acknowledging that journalists and ordinary people had also been hurt.

Quick guide Democracy under fire in Hong Kong since 1997 Show Hide Hong Kong’s democratic struggles since 1997 1 July 1997: Hong Kong, previously a British colony, is returned to China under the framework of “one country, two systems”. The “Basic Law” constitution guarantees to protect, for the next 50 years, the democratic institutions that make Hong Kong distinct from Communist-ruled mainland China. 2003: Hong Kong’s leaders introduce legislation that would forbid acts of treason and subversion against the Chinese government. The bill resembles laws used to charge dissidents on the mainland. An estimated half a million people turn out to protest against the bill. As a result of the backlash, further action on the proposal is halted. 2007: The Basic Law stated that the ultimate aim was for Hong Kong’s voters to achieve a complete democracy, but China decides in 2007 that universal suffrage in elections for the chief executive cannot be implemented until 2017. Some lawmakers are chosen by business and trade groups, while others are elected by vote. In a bid to accelerate a decision on universal suffrage, five lawmakers resign. But this act is followed by the adoption of the Beijing-backed electoral changes, which expand the chief executive’s selection committee and add more seats for lawmakers elected by direct vote. The legislation divides Hong Kong's pro-democracy camp, as some support the reforms while others say they will only delay full democracy while reinforcing a structure that favors Beijing. 2014: The Chinese government introduces a bill allowing Hong Kong residents to vote for their leader in 2017, but with one major caveat: the candidates must be approved by Beijing. Pro-democracy lawmakers are incensed by the bill, which they call an example of “fake universal suffrage” and “fake democracy”. The move triggers a massive protest as crowds occupy some of Hong Kong’s most crowded districts for 70 days. In June 2015, Hong Kong legislators formally reject the bill, and electoral reform stalls. The current chief executive, Carrie Lam, widely seen as the Chinese Communist party’s favoured candidate, is hand-picked in 2017 by a 1,200-person committee dominated by pro-Beijing elites. 2019: Lam pushes amendments to extradition laws that would allow people to be sent to mainland China to face charges. The proposed legislation triggers a huge protest, with organisers putting the turnout at 1 million, and a standoff that forces the legislature to postpone debate on the bills. After weeks of protest, often meeting with violent reprisals from the Hong Kong police, Lam announced that she would withdraw the bill. Photograph: Dale de la Rey/AFP

To a barrage of questions on whether she should resign over her decision to carry on pushing the bill despite the million-strong protest last Sunday, Lam adopted a defiant tone, stressing that she had served Hong Kong for 40 years and would continue to “use my experience to create a better future”.

She thanked the pro-government legislators and those who had supported the bill, but did not mention her political opponents and citizens who had blocked it, and emphasised that it had only been suspended to restore peace.

The press conference was stopped abruptly after 90 minutes; Lam simply walked out, ignoring dozens of journalists who continued to shout out questions.