Australia suspends extradition treaty with Hong Kong over security law

Australia has suspended its extradition treaty with Hong Kong in response to China’s imposition of a national security law.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison also said visas will be extended from two to five years and the Government will offer pathways to permanent residency visas.

The move comes after China imposed sweeping security legislation on the semi-autonomous territory without public consultation.

The national security law prohibits what Beijing views as secessionist, subversive or terrorist activities or as foreign intervention in Hong Kong affairs.

Under the law, police now have sweeping powers to conduct searches without warrants and order internet service providers and platforms to remove messages deemed to be in violation of the legislation.

Mr Morrison said: "Our government, together with other governments around the world, have been very consistent in expressing our concerns about the imposition of the national security law on Hong Kong.

"That national security law constitutes a fundamental change of circumstances in respect to our extradition agreement with Hong Kong."

Mr Morrison’s announcement follows a similar move in the UK, with the country extending residency rights for up to three million Hong Kong residents.

In Australia, the most likely Hongkongers to benefit from the new policies are the 10,000 already in the country on student and other temporary visas.

The changes to visas mean future students will be able to live in Australia for five years after finishing their studies with a pathway to permanent residency after five years, for example.

Australia will also consider offering new incentives for international businesses to relocate their regional headquarters from Hong Kong.

Acting Immigration Minister Alan Tudge said he expected the numbers of residents who would come to Australia under the new arrangements would be "in the hundreds or low thousands".

Australia last offered "safe haven" visas to Chinese people after the crackdown on pro-democracy protesters around Beijing’s Tiananmen Square in 1989.

More than 27,000 Chinese students in Australia at the time were allowed to stay permanently.