UK suspends extradition treaty with Hong Kong
The UK government has indefinately suspended the operation of the extradition treaty with Hong Kong because of the new "security law" imposed on the colony by the government of the People's Republic of China.
Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab told the House of Commons that "We want to work with China" but expressed serious concern about the human rights implications of some of the recent decisions of the Chinese government.
The basis of the extradition agreement between Britain and Hong Kong is that each was willing to hand over people from one jurisdiction accused of a crime in the other because they were confident that the accused parties so handed over would get a fair trial.
Until recently that was still the case but following the new security law there is legitimate concern about whether someone extradit6ed from Britain to Hong Kong would be guaranteed a fair trial.
We have to share a planet with China and anyone in their right mind would, other things being equal, rather have good relations with China than bad.
But although we want good relations with China this should not be at any price.
And although Britain does not have huge leverage on how the Republic of China treats people in the territories they control, one power we do have, and would be utterly remiss not to use, is not to hand over people to China or anyone else if they are not assured a fair trial.
Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab told the House of Commons that "We want to work with China" but expressed serious concern about the human rights implications of some of the recent decisions of the Chinese government.
The basis of the extradition agreement between Britain and Hong Kong is that each was willing to hand over people from one jurisdiction accused of a crime in the other because they were confident that the accused parties so handed over would get a fair trial.
Until recently that was still the case but following the new security law there is legitimate concern about whether someone extradit6ed from Britain to Hong Kong would be guaranteed a fair trial.
We have to share a planet with China and anyone in their right mind would, other things being equal, rather have good relations with China than bad.
But although we want good relations with China this should not be at any price.
And although Britain does not have huge leverage on how the Republic of China treats people in the territories they control, one power we do have, and would be utterly remiss not to use, is not to hand over people to China or anyone else if they are not assured a fair trial.
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