Canada suspends its extradition treaty with Hong Kong, contemplates increased immigration

OTTAWA (Reuters) – Canada is suspending its extradition treaty with Hong Kong in the wake of new Chinese national security legislation and could boost immigration from the former British colony, senior officials said on Friday.

China imposed the legislation this week despite protests from Hong Kongers and western nations, establishing what is a major financial center on a more authoritarian path.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Canada will continue to defend Hong Kong, which is home to 300,000 Canadians.

Canada will not allow the export of sensitive military items to Hong Kong, he told reporters.

“We are also suspending the extradition treaty between Canada and Hong Kong … we are also considering additional measures, including around immigration,” he said. She gave no details.

Foreign Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne condemned the “secret” way the legislation was enacted and said Canada had been forced to reevaluate existing agreements.

“This is a significant setback in terms of freedom … we hoped that Beijing would listen to the international community and change course,” he said by phone.

German and British leaders also expressed concern about the new law.

“(There is) deep reflection in many capitals around the world on the best way to deal with China and its assertiveness,” said Champagne.

The Chinese embassy in Ottawa was not immediately available for comment. The two nations are caught in a dispute that erupted in late 2018 after Canadian police detained the chief financial officer of Huawei Technologies Co on an order from the United States.

The new law has sparked inquiries from families seeking to move to Canada, immigration attorneys said.

Possible steps Ottawa could take include favoring Hong Kong residents with families in Canada and allowing more people to apply for a work program that is a step toward obtaining citizenship, lawyers say.