Hong Kong suspends extradition agreements with Germany, France

China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region has suspended its extradition agreements with Germany and France, according to an official statement released on Wednesday.

"It is an international practice to safeguard national security through enactment of laws. Germany and France have put in place relevant legislation, but have suspended the implementation of the Surrender of Fugitive Offenders (SFO) agreement with the HKSAR and halted the ratification of the relevant agreement with the HKSAR respectively on a unilateral basis, citing the enactment of the Law of the PRC on Safeguarding National Security in the HKSAR among the excuses," said a spokesperson in the statement.

"Such moves are open interference in China's internal affairs and a violation of international law and basic norms governing international relations. The HKSAR government firmly objects to the moves of Germany and France," said the statement.

The two countries have politicized juridical cooperation, thereby damaging the basis of juridical cooperation between the HKSAR and Germany and France. For this reason, in accordance with the instruction of the central government, the HKSAR government has suspended the implementation of the SFO agreement between the HKSAR and Germany and shelved the SFO agreement between the HKSAR and France, the statement added.

The HKSAR signed the SFO agreement with Germany in May 2006, and that with France in May 2017. The SFO agreement between the HKSAR and Germany entered into force in April 2009, while the SFO agreement between the HKSAR and France has not yet entered into force.