Hong Kong-mainland China extradition plan to be watered down by exempting 9 economic crimes, under intense pressure from business community
- Officials back down on contentious proposal to send suspects across the border after business chambers voice concern
- Only offences punishable by at least three years in prison will trigger the transfer of a fugitive – up from the previously stated one year
Hong Kong’s leader, under intense pressure from the business community, has agreed to exempt nine economic crimes from a controversial proposal to allow the transfer of fugitives from the city to mainland China, Taiwan and Macau.
Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor’s cabinet on Tuesday endorsed a revised bill that would also allow extraditions only for offences punishable by three years’ imprisonment instead of one year as originally proposed.
In an unprecedented media arrangement, Lam and her top officials held a press conference to announce the extradition issue along with the results of a major railway investigation and a government climbdown on tunnel toll adjustments.
Secretary for Security John Lee Ka-chiu dismissed concerns that businesspeople could run afoul of the law across the border without even realising it because of a different legal system.
He challenged reporters to cite an example of Beijing abusing existing extradition arrangements with other countries.