Hong Kong: Beijing threatens "consequences" after suspension of British extradition treaty

China warned Tuesday, July 21 against " the consequences " of the suspension by the United Kingdom of its extradition treaty with Hong Kong, a new sign of the deterioration of the already tense Sino-British relations.

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The move, taken on Monday in protest against a controversial security law in the former British colony, threatens to further strain relations between London and Beijing. It comes after the United Kingdom announced it was banning all equipment of the Chinese group Huawei from its 5G networks and politicians criticized China for its treatment of ethnic minority groups in the Xinjiang region.

A statement on the website of the Chinese Embassy in Great Britain protested against the suspension of the treaty and said " that the British side is going even further in the wrong direction ". " China urges the British side to immediately stop interfering in Hong Kong affairs which are China's internal affairs ," said the statement attributed to an anonymous Chinese embassy spokesperson.

" The United Kingdom will bear the consequences if it insists on going in the wrong direction ", adds the text. The suspension of the UK's extradition treaty follows similar steps taken by the US, Canada and Australia.

Big mistake, according to Beijing

British Foreign Minister Dominic Raab confirmed the decision in parliament on Monday despite Beijing's reaction citing a serious foreign policy error and the risk of retaliation. " The government has decided to suspend the extradition treaty immediately and for an indefinite period ," said Dominic Raab, adding that the national security law promulgated by Beijing - which provides for trying certain cases in mainland China - undermines the principles that , for the British, underpin the extradition treaty.

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The security law is seen by its critics as an erosion of civil liberties and human rights in this semi-autonomous financial center. Before Parliament, Dominic Raab also announced Monday to extend to Hong Kong the arms embargo already applied to China since 1989.

Both decisions come at a time when diplomatic relations between London and Beijing are at an all-time low, cooled by British criticism of how China is treating its Uyghur minority and the UK's recent decision to ban the Chinese telecoms giant. Huawei of its future 5G network.

National security law

The promulgation by China at the end of June, after a wave of demonstrations for freedoms in Hong Kong, of the national security law - which notably provides for punishing separatist and " terrorist " activities, subversion and foreign interference in this Chinese autonomous territory - further accelerated the deterioration of these relations. " It is a clear and serious violation of the Sino-British treaty " on the organization in 1997 of the handover of Hong Kong to Beijing, reaffirmed Monday, July 20 Dominic Raab, who had already announced that London would extend the rights to the immigration to the millions of Hong Kong people holding the “ British Overseas Passport ”, or BN (O).

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This first sanction had provoked the ire of China. Through the spokesperson for its Foreign Office, Wang Wenbin, this country had threatened the United Kingdom with reprisals, without specifying which ones, against what it considered to be interference in its affairs. " The recent erroneous remarks and measures taken concerning Hong Kong seriously violate international law ," the spokesman said, " urging " London " not to take any further down this wrong path, in order to avoid further harm to relations between »the two States.

Dominic Raab said Monday that he wanted to start a constructive relationship with China, recognizing “ its extraordinary transformation ” and its key role in international trade. But he felt that a positive relationship also meant the right to voice disagreement.