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Lawmakers warn Hong Kong’s China extradition plans a ‘Trojan horse’
HONG KONG, Feb 13, 2019 (BSS/AFP) – Plans by Hong Kong to allow
extraditions to Taiwan, Macau and mainland China following a high-profile
murder case could become a “Trojan horse” for Beijing to pursue critics, pro-
democracy lawmakers warned Wednesday.
The financial hub’s Security Bureau has proposed changing the law in the
wake of the murder of Poon Hui-wing, a pregnant 20-year-old Hong Konger
allegedly strangled by her boyfriend during a Valentine’s holiday in Taiwan a
year ago.
Poon’s body was found dumped on the outskirts of Taipei after her
boyfriend Chan Tong-kai returned home to Hong Kong without her.
Chan is currently facing trial in Hong Kong for theft and money laundering
linked to his alleged possession of Poon’s bank card.
But there is currently no prospect of him being extradited to Taiwan where
he is wanted for murder.
Despite being part of China since its 1997 handover, semi-autonomous Hong
Kong still has no extradition agreement with Macau, Beijing or Taipei.
The city laws governing extraditions currently rule out returns to “other
parts of the People’s Republic of China”. Like Beijing, Hong Kong views
Taiwan as a part of the mainland, hobbling its ability to coordinate with
Taiwanese police.
Chiu Chih-hung, a spokesman for Taipei’s Shilin district prosecutors
office, told AFP investigators had made multiple requests to Hong Kong police
last year in connection with the murder case but received no response.
“We would welcome if the Hong Kong government could revise the relevant
law to transfer the suspect to Taiwan to stand trial,” he said.
In a briefing paper to the city’s largely pro-Beijing legislature, which
will debate the proposals on Friday, the Security Bureau said the case showed
that current extradition laws “must be amended promptly to plug their
loopholes and to protect public safety”.
– ‘Open Pandora’s Box’ –
The bureau has proposed allowing extraditions on a “case-basis” and say
prosecutions based on “race, religion, nationality or political opinions”
would be refused. But prominent pro-democracy lawmakers fear the move could
still allow Beijing to tighten the noose on critics.
“We’re terribly worried. This could prove a Trojan horse,” lawmaker
Claudia Mo told AFP.
“I know the Hong Kong government has implied that political cases will not
be entertained, but we all know Beijing could always package ideological
crimes in the form of economic offenses.”
China has a long history of charging critics with fraud and other crimes –
– dissident artist Ai Weiwei was famously prosecuted for tax evasion.
Pro-democracy lawmaker Eddie Chu warned the proposal could “open Pandora’s
box”.
“The Security Bureau’s proposal has far-reaching consequences and must not
be casually accepted,” he wrote on Facebook.
Although the proposal has been backed by the city’s largest pro-Beijing
party, pro-democracy lawmakers say Hong Kong should pursue a separate
extradition agreement with Taiwan that doesn’t include the mainland.
Historically Hong Kong has balked at extraditing suspects to the mainland
because of the opacity of China’s criminal justice system and the death
penalty.
The city was also rattled in recent years by the disappearance of several
booksellers who resurfaced in China facing charges — and the alleged
rendition of billionaire businessman Xiao Jianhua in 2017.
BSS/AFP/FI/ 1505 hrs