20 April 2016

Key should park the China extradition issue

New Zealand needs to put the brakes on a discussion about an extradition treaty with China while it pushes changes to the free trade agreement, the Green Party says.

During his trip to China, Prime Minister John Key has said he would be open to a formal extradition treaty with China, despite continuing allegations of torture and corrupt judicial processes. This stance is a change from his position last year, when Mr Key said he would not consider an extradition treaty.

“John Key has flipped on his position on an extradition treaty with China,” says Green Party global affairs spokesperson, Kennedy Graham.

“This is unsettling because it can only be seen in light of aspirations for a better trade deal.

“The Prime Minister needs to park the extradition issue for a while so the issue of trade does not become reliant on China getting an extradition treaty. The last thing we want is a ‘milk for people’ situation.

“The extradition issue needs considerable legal work. The Prime Minister should make it clear publicly he will not touch the issue until our legal system has done its own analysis. In fact he has headed in the opposite direction; he has become more favourable to an extradition treaty.

“The Prime Minister shouldn’t try to negotiate a trade deal by caving on our stance to ensure those who are accused of crimes overseas receive a fair trial and will not be subject to the death penalty.

“New Zealanders know there are real serious concerns about the justice and legal systems in China. We need to make sure that any extradition treaty is acceptable, and it should not be related, even in time, to trade negotiations,” said Dr Graham.

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