London: The United Kingdom will suspend the extradition treaty with Hong Kong, amid growing tensions between the British conservative government and the central authorities of China, local press reported today, Prensa Latina publishes.
According to the main British newspapers and the BBC, the announcement will be made by Chancellor Dominic Raab during an intervention on Monday before Parliament, where he will address the issue of extradition and other measures that London would take with the former British colony.
Following Beijing’s decision to implement a national security law in Hong Kong, Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s cabinet announced that Hong Kong holders of the so-called British Overseas Passport may apply for a five-year residence permit in the United Kingdom and then apply for British citizenship.
Last week, London gave in to pressure from the United States and the local intelligence community, and revoked the participation of the Chinese telecommunications company Huawei in the development of the British 5G mobile phone network.
In a virtual press conference offered in this capital, the Chinese ambassador to the United Kingdom, Liu Xiaoming, accused the British government of interfering in the internal affairs of the Asian country.
The diplomat explained that the legislation implemented by the Chinese government in the former British colony on July 1 is “the basis and precondition for the stability and prosperity” of that territory that came under the control of China in 1997, under the constitutional principle of ‘one country, two systems’.
In a comment on Twitter, Liu also dismissed the Huawei decision as disappointing and wrong, questioning the UK’s ability to offer an open, fair and non-discriminatory business environment for foreign companies.
“We want to be your friend, we want to be your partner, but if you want to present China as a hostile country, you will have to abide by the consequences,” the ambassador warned.