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UK suspends extradition treaty with Hong Kong in latest escalation against China

Iran Press TV

Monday, 20 July 2020 4:03 PM

In yet another escalatory step the UK has suspended an extradition treaty with Hong Kong, citing human rights concerns following the adoption of a new national security law by Beijing.

Announcing the latest move in the House of Commons, foreign secretary, Dominic Raab, described the measure as "necessary and proportionate".

In addition to the suspension of the extradition treaty, the UK will also extend to Hong Kong the arms embargo it is has imposed on China since June 1989.

The latest move by the government comes in the wake of a series of unfriendly actions against China which have deteriorated bilateral ties to a level not seen since 1989.

Only last week Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, caved into US pressure by ordering the expulsion of the Chinese technology giant Huawei from the UK by 2027.

Furthermore, in keeping with the US's increasingly aggressive posture on China, the UK decided to deploy one of the country's new aircraft carriers, the HMS Queen Elizabeth, close to Chinese waters.

Prior to that, and in reaction to the passing of a new national security law by Beijing (which strengthens China's sovereignty over Hong Kong), the UK went to the extraordinary step of offering a "path to British citizenship" for up to three million Hong Kong residents.

This hostile move prompted the Chinese ambassador to the UK, Liu Xiaoming, to accuse London of "gross interference" in China's internal affairs.

The suspension of the extradition treaty is likely to pour fuel on the fire and elicit a strong reaction from Beijing.

Hitherto, China has exercised patience by refusing to react to the UK's repeated provocations.

Beijing will also be dismayed by the fact that the UK's anti-China push appears to appeal to all the key British political forces, including the leadership of the main opposition Labor party.

Earlier, the Labor party's new leader, Keir Starmer, said he would support a change to extradition arrangements with Hong Kong, calling it a "step in the right direction".

Starmer even called on the government to "go further" by imposing sanctions on "Chinese officials" involved in alleged human rights abuses.