New Zealand followed suit with its counterparts and suspended its extradition treaty with Hong Kong citing the new developments caused by the Security Law.
“China’s passage of its new national security legislation has eroded rule-of-law principles, undermined the ‘one country, two systems’ framework that underpins Hong Kong’s unique status, and gone against commitments China made to the international community,” Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters said in a statement on Tuesday in Wellington. “New Zealand can no longer trust that Hong Kong’s criminal justice system is sufficiently independent of China.”
New Zealand might have strained relations with China henceforth, which is currently its largest trading partner. Irrespective of that, it has chosen to follow the footsteps of its other Five Eyes allies, namely Canada, Australia and the United Kingdom, along with the United States. The US is in a diplomatic row with China, that is getting worse with every passing day.
China’s New Security Law for Hong Kong, that cracks down on Hong Kong citizens has drawn contempt from all over the world. In this regard, New Zealand has taken strict measures to update travel advice towards its citizens who are to travel there. It is also touted to treat its exports to Hong Kong the way it treats its exports to China.