Hong Kong Watch condemns UK government plans to reinstate extradition cooperation

Hong Kong Watch strongly condemns the UK government’s apparent plans to reinstate extradition cooperation with Hong Kong, following the National Security Advisor’s trip to Beijing to meet with Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi last week. 

On 24 July 2025, the UK’s Shadow Minister for National Security, Alicia Kearns MP, published a letter on X from the Minister for Security, Dan Jarvis MP, which communicated plans to the Shadow Home Secretary, Chris Philp MP, regarding changes to the Extradition Act 2003, including removing designation of Hong Kong as a ‘Part 2 territory’ based on the UK Hong Kong Extradition Treaty 1997. Such changes could reintroduce extradition cooperation between the UK and Hong Kong, on a case-by-case basis.  

The reveal of the plan came shortly after the UK Prime Minister’s National Security Advisor, Jonathan Powell, visited Beijing to meet with Minister of Foreign Affairs and Politburo member Wang Yi on 14 July. 

The Hong Kong Extradition Treaty 1997 was suspended by the UK government in 2020 following the unilateral imposition of the National Security Law on Hong Kong by the National People’s Congress in Beijing, in violation of the Basic Law and the Sino-British Joint Declaration. Hong Kong Watch has previously successfully campaigned for the suspension of extradition agreements with Hong Kong across North America and Europe. 

Thomas Benson, Senior Research and Policy Advisor, commented: 

‘If these reports are true, and the UK Government intends to reintroduce extradition cooperation with Hong Kong on a case-by-case basis, it is a reckless move which will endanger many pro-democracy activists now living in the UK. While framed as a downgrade on Hong Kong’s current designation under UK extradition law, the move opens up the possibility of opaque extradition cooperation outside the protections of a formal treaty-based system. The government’s apparent desperation to grant concessions to China in return for, presumably, favourable trade terms, is leading to unconscionable policy decisions. We urge the UK government, in the strongest possible terms, to reverse course on these plans before it is too late.’ 

Finn Lau, Advisor to Hong Kong Watch and bountied Hong Kong activist, commented: 

‘As a UK resident with a £100,000 bounty from the Hong Kong government, I am utterly disappointed by the UK government’s plan to reintroduce extradition cooperation with Hong Kong. It contradicts with the UK’s commitments to Hong Kong under the Sino-British Joint Declaration. If the UK government proceeds with this plan, it is not only a betrayal to 200,000 Hong Kongers in the UK, but also a betrayal of Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s commitment to the fundamental human rights which, as a distinguished human rights barrister, he worked to uphold.’

香港監察譴責英政府擬修例重啟對港移交逃犯安排

英國政府在國家安全事務顧問上週訪問北京會晤外交部長王毅後，疑似計劃重啟與香港的引渡合作，香港監察對此予以強烈譴責。

2025年7月24日，英國影子國家安全大臣柯恩詩議員（Alicia Kearns MP）在社交平台X上傳保安大臣翟偉紳議員（Dan Jarvis MP）致影子內政大臣范翹思議員（Chris Philp MP）的信件，信中指出政府計劃修訂《2003年引渡法》（Extradition Act 2003），包括移除根據1997年英國與香港簽訂的引渡條約，香港屬於第二部區域（Part 2 territory）的指定。相關修訂可能會重啟在個別情況下，英國與香港之間的引渡合作。

英國首相國家安全事務顧問鮑威爾（Jonathan Powell）於7月14日訪問北京，與中國外交部長、中共中央政治局委員王毅會面後不久，英國政府就透露這個計劃。

因應中國全國人民代表大會於2020年單方面對香港實施《國家安全法》，違反《基本法》和《中英聯合聲明》，英國政府同年暫停1997年與香港簽訂的引渡條約。香港監察之前在北美和歐洲成功推動暫停與香港簽訂的引渡協議。

香港監察資深研究及政策顧問湯柏森（Thomas Benson）表示：

「如果報導屬實，而英國政府亦有意重啟在個別情況下與香港的引渡合作，那將是危及很多居英社運人士安全的魯莽之舉。雖然此舉被描繪成根據英國引渡法例降低香港現時的指定級別，但卻開啟了在正式條約制度保護以外不透明引渡合作的可能性。英國政府顯然迫切希望向中國妥協，大概是為了換取有利貿易條款，而這正步向不合情理的政策決定。我們促請英國政府儘可能強烈地撤銷相關計劃，以免為時已晚。」

香港監察顧問、被懸紅通緝香港社運人士劉祖廸（Finn Lau）表示：

「身為被香港政府懸紅10萬英鎊通緝的英國居民，我對英國政府計劃重啟與香港的引渡合作，感到非常失望。此舉有違英國在《中英聯合聲明》中對香港的承諾。如果英國政府繼續推行這個計劃，那不但背叛20萬在英港人，更與首相施紀賢（Keir Starmer）以前身為人權律師，致力維護基本人權的承諾背道而馳。」