Hong Kong’s government on Friday condemned the harboring of criminal suspects in any manner after fugitive Nathan Law Kwun-chung this week said he was granted asylum by the United Kingdom.
In a statement, the special administrative region expressed “strong disapproval” of the harboring of criminal suspects in any form by any country, region, organization or individual. Doing so turns a blind eye to the offenses and disregards the potential security threats posed to the local community, a spokesperson said in the statement.
Law was charged in Hong Kong over an unlawful assembly on June 4 and later fled to the United Kingdom before the National Security Law in Hong Kong took effect on June 30
Without naming the UK, the spokesperson said granting asylum to criminals “shows contempt for the rule of law, grossly disrespects Hong Kong’s legal systems and barbarically interferes in the affairs of the city”.
“These criminals made up numerous excuses, including lying to the court for approval to leave Hong Kong and alleging that they were prosecuted for political reasons,to deliberately escape justice," the spokesperson said.
Any arrest and prosecution in Hong Kong is directed against the criminal act, without political consideration, the statement read. “Arrests and prosecutions are based on facts and evidence and conducted in strict accordance with the law.”
These criminals made up numerous excuses, including lying to the court for approval to leave Hong Kong and alleging that they were prosecuted for political reasons,to deliberately escape justice.
A spokesperson for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government
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In a more direct rebuke, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian on Thursday slammed the UK for sheltering Law.
“If the UK openly endorses those seeking Hong Kong independence and shelters wanted suspects, it will constitute gross interference in Hong Kong’s judicial affairs and a breach of international law and basic norms governing international relations,” Zhao said at a press briefing in Beijing.
He urged the UK to immediately “correct its mistakes” and stop interfering in Hong Kong affairs, which are China’s internal affairs.
Also on Thursday, the UK government unveiled a 43 million pound (US$59 million) package for Hong Kong residents who are also British National (Overseas) passport holders as part of a program that offers a pathway to British citizenship.
Former Legislative Council president Rita Fan Hsu Laitai said the UK’s move is based on economic considerations rather than humanitarian concerns.
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The plan is to attract middleclass Hong Kong people to move to the UK and bring capital to the country to ease economic pressure caused by Brexit, she told China Daily on Thursday.
Barrister Alan Hoo Hong-ching, chairman of the Basic Law Institute, also slammed the UK’s moves, saying it attempted to portray a scenario that Hong Kong is turning into Syria and people are rushing abroad, which is totally unfounded and runs counter to the facts.
