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Fugitive tycoon Joseph Lau withdraws legal challenge against Hong Kong’s controversial extradition bill
- Billionaire hiding in Hong Kong to avoid jail term in Macau wrote to High Court and secretary for justice to withdraw his judicial review application
- Lau says he ‘loves his country and Hong Kong’ and his application was not aimed at the government
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A fugitive tycoon evading a five-year jail sentence in Macau has made a sudden about-turn and dropped a legal challenge against Hong Kong’s controversial extradition bill.
Billionaire Joseph Lau Luen-hung on Wednesday wrote to the High Court and secretary for justice to withdraw the judicial review application he filed on April 1, according to his lawyers.
Lau declared he “loves his country and Hong Kong” and that he now supported the legislation.
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He stressed that the application had not been aimed “at the country or the Hong Kong government”.
It was unclear whether Lau had any private talks with officials before having the change of heart.
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But his move means the removal of one source of opposition to the contentious bill, which would allow the transfer of fugitives to jurisdictions Hong Kong has no agreement with, on a case-by-case basis, including Macau, mainland China and Taiwan.
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