Beijing/London: China’s central government firmly supports the Hong Kong government in passing an extradition law allowing people to be sent to mainland China for trial, the foreign ministry reiterated on Wednesday. Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang told a news briefing in Beijing that any actions that harm Hong Kong are opposed by mainstream Hong Kong public opinion. He also urged the United States to speak and act with caution regarding Hong Kong. Tens of thousands of Hong Kong demonstrators surrounded the Chinese-ruled city’s legislature, forcing it to postpone a second round of debate on the extradition bill.
Respect rights: UK
British Prime Minister Theresa May said extradition rules in Hong Kong had to respect the rights and freedoms set out in the 1984 Sino-British Joint Declaration. “We are concerned about potential effects of these proposals particularly obviously given the large number of British citizens there are in Hong Kong,” May told parliament. “But it is vital that those extradition arrangements in Hong Kong are in line with the rights and freedoms that were set down in the Sino-British joint declaration.”
