The UK has suspended its extradition treaty with Hong Kong in response to China’s draconian national security law in the territory.
Dominic Raab, the foreign secretary, announced the move over fears that the arrangement – which has been in place for more than 30 years – would lead to dissidents being sent on to Beijing.
The suspension follows similar steps in the US, Canada and Australia, because of their concerns about China’s crackdown in Hong Kong.
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In a Commons statement, Mr Raab went further by announcing a ban on sales of “potentially lethal weapons” to Hong Kong, extending an embargo in place with mainland China since 1989.
The security law was “a clear and serious violation of the UK-China joint declaration and with it a violation of China’s freely assumed international obligations”, he told MPs.
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