Mr speaker it's precisely because we
recognisechina's role in the world,
as a fellow member of the g20,
a fellow permanent member of the United Nations security council,
that we expect china to live up to the
international obligations
and the international responsibilities
that come with that stature.
That's the positive, constructive, the
mature, the reciprocal relationship
that we seek with China.
Striving for good cooperation, honest and clear where we have to disagree.
Mr Speaker, we have been clear regarding
the new national security law,
which China has imposed on the
people of Hong Kong;
a clear and serious violation of the
UK-China joint declaration
and with it a violation of China's
freely assumed international obligations.
The imposition of this new national
security legislation
has significantly changed key
assumptions underpinning
our extradition treaty arrangements
with Hong Kong.
i have to say I'm particularly concerned
about articles 55 to 59 of the law,
which give mainland China ... Chinese
authorities the ability to assume jurisdiction
over certain cases and to try those
cases in mainland chinese courts.
Mr Speaker, the national security law
does not provide legal or judicial safeguards
in such cases and i'm also concerned
about the potential reach
of the extra territorial provisions.
So I have consulted with the home
secretary, the justice secretary
and the attorney general and the
government has decided
to suspend the extradition treaty
immediately and indefinitely.
