UK likely to suspend extradition treaty with Hong Kong over China's security law
Jul 20, 2020
London [UK], July 20 : The United Kingdom is planning to suspend or revoke its extradition treaty with Hong Kong, weeks after China imposed the National Security law in the semi-autonomous territory.
UK Foreign Minister Dominic Raab is expected to make the announcement in the regard during his addresses to Parliament on Monday, South China Morning Post reported.
This move comes weeks after the UK banned the use of Chinese Huawei-produced equipment for 5G networks from the end of the year citing security threat.
The moves to suspend the Extradition treaty will further deteriorate Beijing and London relations.
The Post was briefed about Raab's move by a source that an imminent change to the extradition treaty could be underway.
But the source said that Raab is unlikely to announce any sanctions against Chinese officials over human right violation against the Uighur minorities.
Chinese Ambassador to the UK, Liu Xiaoming, meanwhile, has threatened that China will make a "resolute response" if the UK government goes that far to impose sanctions on any individuals in China.
China's imposition of Hong Kong nationals security law has been followed by rapidly worsening relations between Beijing and London. Britain said the new national security law breaches agreements made before the 1997 handover of Hong Kong to Chinese rule, and that China is crushing the freedoms that were supposed to remain for at least 50 years.
The UK has already agreed to let up to 3 million Hongkongers with British National (Overseas) passports to relocate there, with a path to British citizenship, citing Beijing's violation of the Sino-British Joint Declaration.
Britain will become the latest country to cut off fugitive-transfer arrangement with its former colony.
Canada and Australia have suspended their treaties with Hong Kong.
Meanwhile, the United States is expected to announce a similar move next week.
New Zealand has also said that it is reassessing the legal instrument as part of a "deliberate, considered review" of its relations with Hong Kong.
