Australia suspends Hong Kong extradition treaty, extends Hong Kongers' visas after security law imposed
Australia has offered up to 10,000 Hong Kong students and workers already in Australia a safe-haven visa and will recruit entire companies to relocate their headquarters here in a move that threatens to spark further retaliation from Beijing.
The decision follows rising global concern about the imposition of new national security laws in the former British colony, which has seen dissent, pro-independent sentiment and attempts to undermine the Chinese state criminalised with up to life in prison.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison addresses the media on Thursday. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen
Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced on Thursday that Australia would also suspend its extradition treaty with Hong Kong in response to the legislation, which could have seen acts of dissent committed in Australia penalised in China through its opaque criminal justice system. Chants and flags have been outlawed in the city of 7.5 million people, journalists have been warned they could be kicked out for publicising the pro-independence movement and schools are preparing to institute new national security education.
"Our decision to suspend the extradition agreement with Hong Kong represents an acknowledgement of the fundamental change of circumstances in relation to Hong Kong because of the new security law, which in our view undermines the' one country, two systems' framework, and Hong Kong's own basic law and the high degree of autonomy guaranteed in the Sino-British Joint Declaration that was set out there," Mr Morrison said in Canberra.
Australia is the second country in the world to offer safe haven to Hongkongers looking to leave the Chinese territory. The UK has extended an offer of residency to up to 3 million Hong Kong residents eligible for British citizenship under the 1997 handover agreement.
The offer from Australia is the most politically charged since former prime minister Bob Hawke extended residency rights to up to 27,000 Chinese students living in Australia after the Tiananmen Square massacre in 1989.
It is almost certain to provoke a strong response from Australia's largest trading partner after Beijing launched trade strikes on beef and barley and warned students and tourists to stay away from Australia amid the coronavirus pandemic. China has accused other countries of meddling in its internal affairs and maintained the new national security laws are necessary to bring stability and safety after 15 months of protests in Hong Kong over China's increasing influence.
Under Australia's new visa scheme 8200 students, 570 temporary skilled migrants, 900 graduate visa holders already in Australia will all have their visas extended by five years and become eligible for permanent residency. Hong Kong residents who already have a visa but are outside the country, including 2300 students, will also be eligible for the extension.
"Australia has always been a very welcoming country to such people from all around the world," Mr Morrison said. "Immigration has been a pillar of the strength of our nation."
The Australian government will also incentivise Hong Kong-based businesses to relocate to Australia and prioritise highly skilled applicants through existing streams from the Chinese territory.
Hong Kong's position as an intermediary between the West and China for more than a century allowed it to flourish as a global financial hub.
One in seven Hong Kong residents is a millionaire, according to Citibank, which took into account deposits, mutual funds, stocks, bonds and property, and the city has the highest concentration of billionaires in the world.
Immigration Minister Alan Tudge said Hong Kong had immense global talent.
"We want them to look to Australia, to come to, and set up shop," he said. "We'll be developing incentives for them to do so, but with that a package of visas as well, so that all the critical staff can come and potentially relocate in one of our cities or a region and be able to get pathways to permanent residency."
Hong Kong is also home to the second-largest group of Australian expatriates in the world, with more than 100,000 living in the city.
They were warned by the Department of Foreign Affairs on Thursday to "reconsider your need to remain" in the Chinese territory.
In updated travel advice the department said the new security laws "could be interpreted broadly".
"Under the law, you could be deported or face possible transfer to mainland China for prosecution under mainland law," the advice says.
"The full extent of the law and how it will be applied is not yet clear. You could break the law without intending to."
The Chinese embassy on Wednesday accused the Australian government of disinformation and rejected separate country-wide travel advice for China that warned foreigners that they may be arrested without evidence.
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