LettersChina’s response to Huawei CFO’s arrest should be a warning to Hong Kong as it amends its extradition law

China’s detention of Canadians after Huawei’s chief financial officer was arrested in Canada shows that the Chinese government is willing to use the law as a political tool

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Huawei chief financial officer Meng Wanzhou arrives at a parole office with a security guard in Vancouver, British Columbia, in December 2018. Photo: AP

Published: 3:04am, 11 Mar 2019Updated: 3:03am, 11 Mar 2019

I refer to the article, “Extradition agreement with mainland China would damage Hong Kong’s ‘safe reputation’ for business, AmCham says” (March 6).

The case-by-case approach the government has proposed for places Hong Kong does not have an extradition agreement with, including the mainland, is a threat to Hong Kong’s legal system. An extradition agreement should not apply to two places which have different legal systems, as Hong Kong and the mainland do.

Moreover, there is no separation of powers on the mainland, which means the extradition agreement could be used as a political tool. Take the Huawei controversy, for example. After the Canadian government arrested Huawei’s chief financial officer Meng Wanzhou, the Chinese government soon responded with legal action against some Canadians in China. The law in China can be wielded as a political and diplomatic weapon.

While it is undeniable that the new arrangement has the advantage of ensuring criminals face justice, it cannot be entered into lightly.

Terry Li Ka-ho, Tsuen Wan

.css-1mniedq{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;} China’s detention of Canadians after Huawei’s chief financial officer was arrested in Canada shows that the Chinese government is willing to use the law as a political tool

China’s detention of Canadians after Huawei’s chief financial officer was arrested in Canada shows that the Chinese government is willing to use the law as a political tool