ExclusiveHong Kong’s crime fight hampered by geopolitics but crooks still kept at bay: Chris Tang
- Suspension of legal assistance deals has impacted city but officials can work with overseas agencies in other ways to bring criminals to justice, security minister says
Cooperation between Hong Kong’s law enforcement and international agencies has not been enfeebled by geopolitical tensions even though a number of Western countries’ suspension of extradition agreements with the city did benefit some criminals, the security minister has said.
Chris Tang Ping-keung, the secretary for security, on Thursday also said his bureau would work on improving the business environment by facilitating travel between Hong Kong and mainland China not only for locals but also visitors in step with the government’s renewed emphasis on lifting the economy after the passing of a domestic national security law.
“We are always looking at [whether there is] any further room that we can do to facilitate the travel between Hong Kong and [the] mainland for not just local people, but also expatriates or even other visitors,” he said.
Several countries – including the United States, Britain, Australia, Canada and Germany – suspended their extradition agreements with Hong Kong in protest, drawing tit-for-tat retaliation from Beijing, which ordered the city to do the same.