China ratifies Turkey extradition deal in push to ‘combat terrorism’, leading to concerns for Uygurs who fled Xinjiang
- Action comes three years after the treaty was signed in Beijing
- The document does not refer to specific groups but Turkey has long been a refuge for Uygurs fleeing Xinjiang
The document covers issues ranging from extradition obligations to settlement of disputes, according to the full text released online by China’s top legislature.
When the treaty was signed during Turkish Prime Minister Recep Erdogan’s visit to Beijing in 2017, Chinese President Xi Jinping spoke of China’s desire to deepen counterterrorism cooperation with Turkey.
The treaty is similar to other extradition agreements China has signed with other countries, including Italy and South Africa, in that it does not refer to a specific organisation or group of people.
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Yu Minyou, a law specialist from Wuhan University in central China, said the ratification of the treaty would help promote judicial cooperation and efforts to combat terrorism.