Beijing suspends Hong Kong pact with Washington

(Photo/Xinhua)

China has decided to suspend the agreement on mutual legal assistance in criminal matters between Hong Kong and the United States in response to the unilateral U.S. decision to suspend or terminate three bilateral agreements with Hong Kong.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian made the announcement on Thursday and urged the U.S. to correct its wrong decision.

Hong Kong affairs are entirely China's domestic affairs, in which no foreign forces have a right to interfere, Zhao said. He added that the U.S. should stop meddling in Hong Kong affairs and China's domestic affairs, and "not to walk further down the wrong path".

In an announcement on Wednesday, the U.S. said the three agreements suspended or terminated covered the surrender of fugitive offenders, the transfer of sentenced persons and reciprocal tax exemptions on income derived from the international operation of ships.

In a news release on Thursday, the government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region said it "strongly reprimands" the U.S. over the decision.

Such a decision "reflects its disrespect for bilateralism and multilateralism under the current administration and should be condemned by the international community", the government said.

"The HKSAR government strongly objects to and deplores the U.S.' action, which is widely seen as a move to create troubles in the China-U.S. relationship, using Hong Kong as a pawn," the release said.

The U.S. announcement came after Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom and New Zealand suspended their extradition treaties with Hong Kong in response to China's passage of the National Security Law for Hong Kong.

China has a clear and consistent position over Hong Kong-related issues and has explained multiple times and through different perspectives why the legislation is needed, Zhao said, adding that countries that "wish to force the Chinese government to change its position through so-called sanctions" are "daydreaming".

Dialogue with Pakistan

Zhao also announced that State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi will co-host the second strategic dialogue between the foreign ministers of China and Pakistan with Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi in Hainan province on Thursday and Friday.

China and Pakistan are expected to focus on cooperation in tackling COVID-19 and bilateral ties, and exchange views over international and regional issues.

As all-weather strategic partners, China and Pakistan need to further enhance their communication and cooperation to deal with external challenges together as the international and regional situations are going through complicated changes and the pandemic has changed the world profoundly, Zhao said.

The two countries launched the dialogue in Beijing in March of last year.