Hong Kong —— Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison (Scott Morrison) said Thursday that Australia would suspend extradition agreements with Hong Kong and extend temporary visas for Hong Kong residents in the country as a result of China's new national security law.
Australia's announcement comes just after Canada suspended its extradition deal with Hong Kong and the UK said it was considering similar measures because of the punitive law,. Australia's announcement could exacerbate diplomatic tensions relationship. Canberra and Beijing
For hong kongers already in australia, the visa extension will open a path to permanent residence, morrison said. He also suggested that business should be moved from Hong Kong to his country, declaring that "we are a great immigrant country ".
On thursday, australia also warned its citizen not to travel to hong kong on the grounds of interpretation of national security laws and the risk that australians would be transferred to chinese mainland prosecute.
"For reasons of vague definition of national security, the risk of your being detain may increase ," Australia's' s said. ""You may have violated the law ." without realizing it
This announcement is also the latest in a series of responses from various countries to the law. The law has greatly enhanced the status of Beijing ' s security services in Hong Kong, a former British colony that returned to China in 1997. The new national security law has raised concerns that Beijing will suppress free speech, assembly capacity and other rights. Traditionally, these rights have been better protected in Hong Kong than in mainland China.
Morrison said Australia's decision was in response to the potential overall impact of the new national security law promulgated in Hong Kong.
"Our government, along with other governments around the world, has consistently expressed concerns about the implementation of this national security law in Hong Kong," Morrison said. "Today we have determined that this national security law has fundamentally changed the situation of our extradition agreement with Hong Kong."
He said that the Australian government does not expect too many new applicants from Hong Kong, and said that the application approval process will not change.
Compared with Britain's decision to open up the path to citizenship for up to 3 million Hong Kong people, Australia's move is not as extensive.
In an editorial article on Wednesday, the Global Times, which is owned by the Communist Party of China, warned that if Canberra allows Hong Kong citizens to settle locally, the Australian economy will "taste the bitter fruit."
Austin Ramzy is a Hong Kong correspondent for the New York Times. He focuses on local news and also reports on regional and breaking news. He previously reported on major events in Asia from Taiwan and Beijing. Follow him on Twitter: @austinramzy.
