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Extradition to mainland China may be possible under new Hong Kong national security law
- Tam Yiu-chung, the city’s sole delegate on the National People’s Congress Standing Committee says Beijing has jurisdiction in certain instances
- Cases involving foreign interference could see people sent across border to stand trial
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Hongkongers who breach the new national security law Beijing is tailor-making for the city, particularly in cases involving foreign interference, could be extradited to mainland China for trial, according to Hong Kong’s sole delegate to the country’s top legislative body.
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The suggestion on Wednesday from Tam Yiu-chung, who sits on the National People’s Congress Standing Committee (NPCSC), was a further elaboration of a statement by Deng Zhonghua, deputy director of the cabinet-level Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office, that Beijing could reserve jurisdiction over cases “in very special circumstances” when applying the new legislation.
This came as Yue Zhongming, spokesman for the Legislative Affairs Commission of the NPCSC, which is preparing the new law against acts of secession, subversion, terrorism and foreign interference in the city’s affairs, said the apex body would “speed up” its formulation.
Tam said extradition could be an option and the central government “had the right to do so”.
He added: “If Beijing found it necessary that the case should not be handled by Hong Kong courts, [extradition] could be an option.”
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