France: It will not ratify extradition treaty with Hong Kong

On Monday, France said that it would not ratify a 2017 extradition treaty with Hong Kong after China introduced a controversial national security law for the global financial hub.

“In view of the latest developments, France will not proceed as it stands with the ratification of the extradition agreement signed on May 4, 2017 between France and the Hong Kong Special Administrative region,” a French Foreign Ministry statement said.

It said the national security law for Hong Kong was “a change that compromises the inherited framework of the 1997 handover” to China from British rule, and also challenged the “one country, two systems” principle, respect for Hong Kong’s “high degree of autonomy” and “related fundamental freedoms”.