Australia suspends Hong Kong extradition deal in swipe at China

Australia is suspending its extradition agreement with Hong Kong and will give skilled migrants from the city five-year visas with a pathway to permanent residence, after China imposed sweeping national security legislation on the financial hub.

“Our decision to suspend the extradition agreement with Hong Kong represents an acknowledgment of the fundamental change of circumstances in relation to Hong Kong because of the new security law,” Prime Minister Scott Morrison said at a briefing in Canberra on Thursday.

Morrison said Australia had formally notified Hong Kong and advised Chinese authorities. His announcement -- which swiftly earned a strong rebuke from Beijing’s embassy in Canberra -- came after Canada suspended its extradition agreement with the former British colony last week, making it the first country to break law enforcement links with the city since China enacted the legislation.