Tit for tat: China suspends Hong Kong extradition treaties with Australia, Canada and UK

BEIJING: China on Tuesday said it was suspending Hong Kong's extradition treaties with Canada, Australia and the United Kingdom after the three countries made a similar decision over Beijing's controversial new security law.

Canada, Britain and Australia are part of the "Five Eyes" intelligence alliance. The other members are New Zealand, which suspended its extradition treaty with Hong Kong earlier on Tuesday, and the United States, which has signalled it is preparing to do the same.

"The wrong action of Canada, Australia and the UK in politicising judicial cooperation with Hong Kong has seriously hurt the basis of judicial cooperation," said foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin at a regular press briefing.

"China has decided to suspend extradition treaties between Hong Kong and Canada, Australia and UK, as well as criminal justice cooperation agreements."

Critics have said the Hong Kong security law is an erosion of civil liberties and human rights in the financial hub, which has been semi-autonomous from China since its handover from Britain in 1997.

But Wang accused the countries of having used the national security law as "an excuse to unilaterally announce the suspension of extradition treaties" with Hong Kong.

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Britain suspended its extradition treaty last week, following moves by Australia and Canada, saying the security law had "significantly changed key assumptions" including a provision to try certain cases in mainland China.

London and Canberra have also angered Beijing by offering pathways to citizenship or residency to Hong Kongers looking to leave because of the new law.

New Zealand's updated travel advice said the security law had led to an increased risk of arrest for activities such as protests, with the possibility of being removed to mainland China to face a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.

Wang warned on Tuesday that China reserved the right to respond after New Zealand suspended its extradition treaty with Hong Kong.

"Any schemes to suppress China will never prevail," Wang said.

"China urges New Zealand to immediately redress its mistake, and stop all forms of interference in Hong Kong affairs and China's internal affairs, to avoid harming China-New Zealand relations."