Hong Kong | Former ExCo member worries fugitive bill will entangle the city in the long term

A former member of the Hong Kong Executive Council (ExCo) has urged the Hong Kong government to decelerate the controversial fugitive bill to avoid entangling the city into “a lot of major controversies down the road,” according to a report by the South China Morning Post (SCMP).

This former executive councilor in question is Anna Wu Hung-yuk, who is currently chairman of the Competition Commission of Hong Kong.

In her interview with the SCMP, Wu proposed that Hong Kong adopt a one- time deal with Taiwan to hand over a Hong Kong resident who committed the crime of murder in Taiwan and is wanted by the Taiwanese government.

The Hong Kong government has been continuously using this case as legitimate ground to pass a controversial fugitive bill, which not only includes an extradition deal between Hong Kong and Taiwan, but would also cover an extradition arrangement between Hong Kong and mainland China.

Wu believes that there is no need to rush the bill. She believes that more time and public consultation should be given to it. She believes that problems existing in the current fugitive bill amendment proposals can be fixed and society needs to engage in a calm and rational debate.

Besides proposing that the government decelerates work on the bill, Wu suggested that ensuring suspects’ legal protection at all stages of the extradition procedure may be one solution to appease the bills’ critics.

These so-called legal protections include visitation rights, as well as serving jail terms in Hong Kong.

Wu refrained from criticizing mainland China’s judiciary system, however, she stated that she had learned of a number of concerns from Hong Kong’s local and foreign business groups regarding the bill amendment and regarding mainland China’s legal system.

“I think we are better […] looking at ways to deal with the isolated issue of the Taiwan murder case,” said Wu. “Then look at the long-term measures we have to build in for extradition or surrender arrangements for the mainland and Macau.” JZ

EU issues ‘Demarche’ protest note

The European Union Office in Hong Kong issued a formal diplomatic “demarche” protest note on Friday to the city’s Chief Executive, Carrie Lam, over the proposed extradition law amendment.

On behalf of the governments, businesses and people of the European Union, the demarche expresses “concerns regarding the government’s proposed amendments to Hong Kong’s Fugitive Offenders Ordinance.”

The move represents a hardening of the EU position and a bolstering of the city’s opposition just days after Lam said the government would not back away from the bill.

Hong Kong’s Chief Executive met with representatives of the European Union Office over the weekend to discuss the matter further. After the meeting, Lam said that the representatives were unable, unwilling or did not have time to detail their precise concerns about the legislation.