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New Zealand Thanked For “Standing Up To Bullies In Beijing”

New Zealand is the latest country to suspend its extradition treaty with Hong Kong in response to China’s new National Security Law. Campaign organisation Stand with Hong Kong welcomed New Zealand in joining “a new roll of honour in taking a lead in reviewing its policy with China and standing up to the bullies in Beijing”.

The suspension of this treaty means that Hongkongers suspected of a crime in New Zealand can no longer be returned to Hong Kong to face justice, and vice versa. Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters said on Tuesday that “New Zealand can no longer trust that Hong Kong’s criminal justice system is sufficiently independent from China”, where conviction rates stand at 99.9%.

John Song, spokesperson for Stand with Hong Kong, said:

“Since the draconian National Security Law being imposed in Hong Kong, we have been lobbying the international community to review and suspend their extradition agreements with Hong Kong as the distinction between the city and China is no longer clear. This suspension by New Zealand is the latest welcome, inevitable, and unavoidable consequences of the Chinese Communist regime dismantling Hong Kong’s autonomy. With the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia already having taken this step, we welcome New Zealand joining a new roll of honour in taking a lead in reviewing its policy on China and by standing up to the bullies in Beijing.”

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Andrew Rosindell MP, Vice-Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Hong Kong and Chair of the APPG for Australia and New Zealand, said:

“Today’s announcement by New Zealand shows that our Commonwealth and Five Eyes allies are willing to stand up to China’s aggressive violations of their international commitments in the Joint Declaration. The independence of the Hong Kong judicial system has been undermined, and any prisoners could be at risk of being deported to mainland China. New Zealand is standing up for judicial independence, self-determination and international law, all values that it shares with the United Kingdom.”

About Fight for Freedom. Stand with Hong Kong.

We are a completely independent, grassroots, crowdfund-initiated group of individuals who have come together to fight for freedom and democracy for Hong Kong. Our members come from all walks of life, and are united with a shared vision.

In the past 22 years, we have witnessed China's erosion of Hongkongers’ fundamental freedoms, human rights, and rule of law. China's conduct has been in breach of the 1984 Sino-British Joint Declaration—a legally binding treaty—which also forms the basis of the 1992 US Hong Kong Policy Act. Shocked and heartbroken at the recent events in Hong Kong and our government’s intransigence, we seek to mobilise the international community to stand with us in our fight for freedom.

About the APPG on Hong Kong

The APPG on Hong Kong was inaugurated on 5th November 2019. Its aim is to promote democracy and the rule of law, defend human rights in Hong Kong, share information about Hong Kong and to nurture relations between the United Kingdom and the people of Hong Kong.

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