Trudeau: Canada to restrict sensitive exports, suspend extraditions to Hong Kong
OTTAWA — Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says in response to “grave concern” over China’s new national security law for Hong Kong the Canadian government is restricting the export of sensitive goods to the territory and suspending its extradition treaty.
His announcement Friday followed mainland China's move this week to impose national security legislation that has drawn international condemnation for threatening Hong Kong’s autonomy.
“We are extremely concerned about the situation in Hong Kong,” Trudeau told a press conference near Ottawa. “We will continue to look at responses, working closely with our allies, including our Five Eyes allies, who have made very strong statements in regards to the decision by the Chinese government to move forward and weaken the one country, two systems principle.”
Trudeau said that, effective immediately, Canada will halt shipments of some military items to Hong Kong and treat exports of sensitive goods in the same way as those destined for mainland China. Canada will also stop extraditing people to Hong Kong.
He added that Canada is looking at additional measures, including changes related to immigration, in the days and weeks to come.
“Canada joins the international community in expressing its grave concern over the passage of national security legislation for Hong Kong by mainland China,” he said.
What others have done: On Wednesday, the U.S. House of Representatives unanimously passed a sanctions bill to penalize China over the national security law for Hong Kong. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced this week that the United Kingdom will offer up to three million Hong Kong residents a path to British citizenship. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said she was in contact with international partners to consider a possible response to the new legislation.
More Canada-China testiness: Canada's steps arrive with its relationship with China already at a low point. Diplomatic ties between Canada and its second-largest trading partner have sharply deteriorated since the December 2018 arrest of Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou in Vancouver on a U.S. extradition warrant. Meng’s case has angered Beijing, which has demanded her immediate release. Days after her arrest, Chinese authorities detained two Canadians who have since been charged with spying. Trudeau, who has come under intense domestic pressure on his Chinese policy, has called their arrests arbitrary and insisted China has connected them to Meng’s case.
