Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor announced on June 15 that the Legislative Council will postpone the revision to the Fugitive Offenders Ordinance which would have allowed some suspects to be extradited to the Chinese mainland, Macao and Taiwan to stand trial.
The revision, officials said, aimed to prevent Hong Kong from becoming a hotbed for criminal suspects from regions that have not signed an extradition treaty with Hong Kong. Yet, opponents painted it as the Hong Kong government pandering to the mainland and worried that it would undermine Hong Kong’s democracy and freedom. Since the revision was submitted this April, Hong Kong has seen several violent mass protests which have severely impacted order and safety in the region.
Following Lam’s announcement, Geng Shuang, spokesperson for China’s Ministry of Foreign
Affairs, said that the mainland “supports, respects and understands” Hong Kong’s decision and will keep supporting the HKSAR government to administer the region based on the law. He meanwhile warned other countries and organizations not to interfere in Hong Kong issues, which he emphasized are China’s internal affairs.
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