The chief executive can order extradition of wanted offenders to China, Macau and Taiwan as well as other countries.
Hong Kong’s leaders have launched laws to change extradition rules to allow people to be sent to mainland China for trial, standing fast against growing opposition to a move that many fear could further erode the city’s legal protections.
According to the laws presented to the Legislative Council on Wednesday, Chief Executive Carrie Lam would have the right to order the extradition of wanted offenders to China, Macau and Taiwan as well as other countries not covered by Hong Kong’s existing extradition treaties.
The bill was introduced following a case last year when a local man allegedly killed his pregnant girlfriend while on holiday in Taiwan, but could not be extradited as Taipei and Hong Kong do not share an extradition agreement.
The bill, however, has become a diplomatic quagmire as Hong Kong and Beijing both consider Taiwan, a self-ruling island, to be part of greater China.
Taiwanese officials have spoken out against the agreement, which some fear could be used to coerce it into acknowledging Beijing’s sovereignty, DPA news agency reported citing the South China Morning Post.
It's clear the assurances given so far by Hong Kong government that political cases won't be pursued are just not believed by reporters, lawyers and business community, who have remained critical of the proposed law
— Jerome Taylor (@JeromeTaylor) April 3, 2019
