The UK government is set to suspend its extradition treaty with Hong Kong in response to China’s imposition of a tough new national security law, according to reports.
Foreign secretary Dominic Raab is expected to make a statement in the House of Commons on Monday confirming the move, which would infuriate Beijing.
On Sunday, he hinted he was preparing further measures as he accused China of committing “gross, egregious human rights abuses” against the Uighur Muslim population in Xinjiang province.
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It follows the government’s decision to exclude the tech giant Huawei from the UK’s 5G network, in a major U-turn just six months after approving its involvement .
The Chinese ambassador to the UK, Liu Xiaoming, said Beijing was still considering its response but warned Britain not to get drawn into a “tit-for-tat” confrontation.
1/14 Communist China
Andrew Kwok, an old fish farmer living in the area, recalls mainlanders who drowned, trying to escape Communist China, during the perilous crossing; “There were a lot of them, hundreds of dead bodies in the river,” he said.
Reuters
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Merrin Ke, a Hongkonger born to mainland parents, poses for graduation pictures with her classmates in Hong Kong. Merrin, 23, grew up in Shenzhen but got her masters degree from Hong Kong’s Polytechnic University. She had flitted easily between both sides, up until recently, when she moved to Shanghai. “I think the situation in Hong Kong is quite sensitive now, which is easy for people to have conflicts due to different political stands. That’s why I’ve decided to leave Hong Kong to work and get away from the intense environment.”
Reuters
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Shenzhen River, the border river that divides Hong Kong (left) and Shenzhen
Reuters
4/14
Leung Wong-hing wraps straw around a crab which she caught with her husband earlier that day in Shenzhen Bay, at her house in Hang Hau village
Reuters
5/14
Clothes hang from a border fence, with Hong Kong in the distance, in Shenzhen
Reuters
6/14
Lam tends to vegetables she has grown in her field at Shun Yee San village in Hong Kon.
Reuters
7/14
Lam’s husband walks back to their house in Shun Yee San village
Reuters
8/14
Even though the protests in Hong Kong show no sign of abating, Ke remains optimistic unity will overcome division. “Hong Kong people used to come to have fun in Shenzhen and people from mainland China also liked to visit Hong Kong. But now such things are becoming less and less.
“I still hope everyone can put differences aside, and it’s not enough for just one side to do this. It requires the joint efforts of both sides.”
Reuters
9/14
Chinese and Hong Kong flags hang over houses in Law Liu village
Reuters
10/14
A farmer working in a field in Hong Kong can be seen through a fence in Shenzhen
Reuters
11/14
Lam dries off washed flower heads in her garden
Reuters
12/14
People take pictures of the sunset in Shenzhen
Reuters
13/14
Leung Wong-hing’s granddaughter smiles as she waits for dinner to be served while visiting her grandparents’ house at Hang Hau village in Hong Kong
Reuters
14/14
Chan Chi-Yung looks at Shenzhen Bay bridge from his grandparent’s house in Hang Hau village
Reuters
1/14 Communist China
Andrew Kwok, an old fish farmer living in the area, recalls mainlanders who drowned, trying to escape Communist China, during the perilous crossing; “There were a lot of them, hundreds of dead bodies in the river,” he said.
Reuters
2/14
Merrin Ke, a Hongkonger born to mainland parents, poses for graduation pictures with her classmates in Hong Kong. Merrin, 23, grew up in Shenzhen but got her masters degree from Hong Kong’s Polytechnic University. She had flitted easily between both sides, up until recently, when she moved to Shanghai. “I think the situation in Hong Kong is quite sensitive now, which is easy for people to have conflicts due to different political stands. That’s why I’ve decided to leave Hong Kong to work and get away from the intense environment.”
Reuters
3/14
Shenzhen River, the border river that divides Hong Kong (left) and Shenzhen
Reuters
4/14
Leung Wong-hing wraps straw around a crab which she caught with her husband earlier that day in Shenzhen Bay, at her house in Hang Hau village
Reuters
5/14
Clothes hang from a border fence, with Hong Kong in the distance, in Shenzhen
Reuters
6/14
Lam tends to vegetables she has grown in her field at Shun Yee San village in Hong Kon.
Reuters
7/14
Lam’s husband walks back to their house in Shun Yee San village
Reuters
8/14
Even though the protests in Hong Kong show no sign of abating, Ke remains optimistic unity will overcome division. “Hong Kong people used to come to have fun in Shenzhen and people from mainland China also liked to visit Hong Kong. But now such things are becoming less and less.
“I still hope everyone can put differences aside, and it’s not enough for just one side to do this. It requires the joint efforts of both sides.”
Reuters
9/14
Chinese and Hong Kong flags hang over houses in Law Liu village
Reuters
10/14
A farmer working in a field in Hong Kong can be seen through a fence in Shenzhen
Reuters
11/14
Lam dries off washed flower heads in her garden
Reuters
12/14
People take pictures of the sunset in Shenzhen
Reuters
13/14
Leung Wong-hing’s granddaughter smiles as she waits for dinner to be served while visiting her grandparents’ house at Hang Hau village in Hong Kong
Reuters
14/14
Chan Chi-Yung looks at Shenzhen Bay bridge from his grandparent’s house in Hang Hau village
Reuters
Communist Party officials have reportedly warned UK companies, including Jaguar Land Rover, BP and GlaxoSmithKline, that they could now face retaliation.
TikTok, the Chinese social media company, was also said to have suspended its plans to open a global headquarters in Britain.
Mr Raab has played down suggestions that the UK would impose sanctions on Chinese officials over alleged abuses in Xinjiang, like the US.
He insisted also that Britain wanted a “positive relationship” with China, working with it on issues like climate change as well as trade and investment.
However the government has said China’s new national security law violates the Sino-British Joint Declaration which guaranteed Hong Kong’s way of life would remain unchanged for 50 years until 2047.
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The UK has already offered a path to British citizenship for three million Hongkongers eligible for an overseas passport, a move which enraged Beijing.
Canada and Australia have already suspended their extradition treaty with Hong Kong, while the US is believed to be preparing a similar measure.
Mr Raab is due to meet the US secretary of state Mike Pompeo for talks on Tuesday.
Additional reporting by Press Association
