HONG KONG— The European Union Office in Chinese-ruled Hong Kong issued a formal diplomatic “demarche” protest note to Hong Kong’s leader on May 24 over a proposed extradition law that could see individuals sent back to mainland China for trial.
Critics, including foreign governments, legal and business groups, have expressed fears the law could erode Hong Kong’s rule of law and leave individuals, including foreign nationals passing through the city, vulnerable to being sent back for an unfair trial on the mainland.
Under the proposed bill, the chief executive would have the right to order the extradition of wanted offenders to China, Macau and Taiwan as well as other countries not covered by Hong Kong’s existing extradition treaties.
The EU Office in Hong Kong and Macau said in a brief statement in response to press inquiries that it had, together with diplomatic representatives from its member states, met with Hong Kong’s leader Carrie Lam to “carry out a demarche reiterating their concerns regarding the government’s proposed amendments to Hong Kong’s Fugitive Offenders Ordinance.”
The 28-member European Union had already come out in recent months to express concern over the extradition bill that Hong Kong authorities say they want to try to get passed in the city’s legislature before the summer recess.
This latest move represents a hardening of the EU position, just days after Lam reiterated that she wouldn’t scrap the bill.
The head of the EU office, Carmen Cano, wasn’t immediately available for comment. There was no immediate comment from Lam’s office.
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