The spokesperson of the French ministry of foreign Affairs, Agnès von der Mühll, has made it known that France would not ratify the extradition agreement with hong Kong. This refusal is justified by the imposition by China of a security act controversial in the former british colony, announced on Monday that French diplomacy. "In light of recent developments, France will not proceed in the state at the ratification of the extradition agreement signed on 4 may 2017 between France and the special administrative region of hong Kong," said Agnès von der Mühll.
The agreement provides for the possibility to extradite any person sought by one of the two parties and that is located on the territory of the other. It is being examined by the French Parliament, which should authorize in advance the ratification by the president, a scenario is now unlikely. The law imposed by Beijing in hong Kong aims to suppress subversion, secession, terrorism and the collusion with the foreign forces, in response to the protest movement aimed at the central power since last year in this territory semi-autonomous.
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France has called for general elections in hong Kong
It is the most radical for hong Kong since its handover by the Uk to China in 1997. The activists pro-democracy there fear an erosion of unprecedented freedom and autonomy. This law " calls into question the principle of "one country, two systems" and respect the "high degree of autonomy" of hong Kong and fundamental freedoms which derive from it, " noted the ministry. "It also affects, directly, our citizens and our companies ". France also called to be held "as soon as possible" legislative elections in hong Kong, originally scheduled for September and postponed Friday for one year because of sars coronavirus at the end of a month marked by the disqualification of candidates of the movement for democracy.
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"It is essential that the elections could be held as soon as possible and in conditions to allow a democratic expression of the sincere, consistent with the rights and freedoms guaranteed by the basic law of hong Kong," notes the spokesperson. Germany, for its part, deplored the postponement of the election, seeing it as a " new violation of the rights of the citizens of hong Kong ". The White House has also condemned this decision, " the latest in a long list of broken promises by Beijing, which promised autonomy and the respect of freedoms to the people of hong Kong ".
