France won’t ratify extradition treaty with Hong Kong, Foreign Ministry says

Paris has decided not to ratify an extradition agreement with Hong Kong after China’s central government in Beijing imposed a new national security law on the city. “In light of the latest developments, France won’t proceed with the ratification” of the 2017 extradition agreement with Hong Kong “as it stands,” AP quoted the French Foreign Ministry’s spokesperson as saying in a written statement on Monday.

Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the UK and the US suspended their extradition treaties with Hong Kong last month amid fears that the central Chinese government was infringing on the city’s freedoms and local autonomy.

Germany made a similar decision last week following the disqualification of 12 candidates from Hong Kong's legislative elections and a subsequent decision to postpone the vote by a year.

Beijing says the new security law is needed to combat terrorism and separatism, and to prevent Hong Kong from becoming a base for undermining Chinese state power.