The controversy in Hong Kong over the now-suspended extradition bill has spilled to the diplomatic front. British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt on Tuesday warned that China would face serious consequences if it failed to honour the Sino-British Joint Declaration which was signed in 1984.
AdvertisementHunt’s comments came after Hong Kong was rocked by some of the worst political unrest since its 1997 handover from Britain to China. Protests in the city last month attracted up to 2 million demonstrators who took to the streets to oppose a bill that would allow the transfer of criminal suspects to jurisdictions with which the city does not have fugitive agreements, including mainland China.
Beijing on Wednesday lodged a strong protest with London over Hunt’s warning and accused him of still harbouring “colonial illusions”. British Prime Minister Theresa May later told parliament that she had been in touch with Beijing to raise concerns about the events in Hong Kong.
week that China must honour the joint declaration, igniting a diplomatic dispute. Photo: AP" width="" />
What is the Sino-British Joint Declaration?
It is an agreement signed by Britain and China in 1984 to settle the future of Hong Kong. The two governments agreed China would reassume control of Hong Kong, which was occupied by Britain after the Opium War in 1840, from July 1, 1997 .
