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.

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Pro-democracy activists in Hong Kong are discussing the conception of a potential ‘shadow parliament’ that could preserve democracy and send a strong message to mainland China in opposition to their new security law. This comes as a result of the new sweeping security legislation that was introduced by China to stifle dissent.

On Wednesday this week, protesters were attacked by the police with tear gas as well as spray hoses, and over 300 people were arrested under this new law.

Coming in opposition to this, Cheng, an activist who had been tortured by China’s secret police, and has now been granted asylum in the UK, suggested that a ‘parliament in exile’ would be the perfect message that could be sent to mainland China in opposition of this new law. Speaking to the media on Friday he said, “A shadow parliament can send a very clear signal to Beijing and the Hong Kong authorities that democracy need not be at the mercy of Beijing. We want to set up non-official civic groups that surely reflect the views of the Hong Kong people.”

He has been granted asylum in Britain following an offer by British Prime Minister Boris Johnson Which provided a path to hundreds of thousands of Hong Kong citizens or British citizenship. This was met with backlash from China side, as it strongly proclaimed that this was an internal affair and that the UK had no right to set foot into this.

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China says that Britain has no right to grant citizenship to Hong Kongers, following the protests related to the New Security Law, that was faced with worldwide backlash. It added that it “vowed to take ‘corresponding measures’ to stop such a move”. It added that the best UK could do was to “coercively force” China if it blocks Hong Kongers from leaving.

Liu Xiaoming, China’s Ambassador to the UK, was reported saying, “It is “clear … that all Chinese compatriots residing in Hong Kong are Chinese nationals, whether or not they are holders of the British Dependent Territories Citizens passport or the British National (Overseas) passport”.

This statement has been released after a promise by British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, offering nearly 3 million residents of the former British colony, those with British National (Overseas) status (BNO), the right to settle in the UK. A similar statement was also released by Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison. The United States has also approved new Hong Kong-related sanctions.

More than 400 people have been arrested in Hong Kong following the implementation of the new security law, following an opaque legislative process that took less than six weeks. The powers vested in the authorities of Mainland China due to this new law has been widely critiqued for its barbaric nature of treating those who have been arrested under it.

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China implemented its new security law for Hong Kong on the 30^th of June. Following this, all the suspects that were arrested under the jurisdiction of the new security office could possibly be tried in mainland China. This new piece of information has started striking terror in the hearts of the citizens of Hong Kong.

This comes as a result of Article 55 of the new security law, which states that Beijing could exercise its power over complex or serious cases. This also bans violators of the law from contesting in elections and greater oversight of non-government organizations and news houses.

Speaking at a flag-raising ceremony to mark the anniversary of Hong Kong’s handover in 1997, the city’s embattled leader Carrie Lam said the law was the most important development since the city’s return to Beijing.

“It is also an inevitable and prompt decision to restore stability in the society,” Lam said at the same harbor-front venue where 23 years ago the last colonial governor, Chris Patten, a staunch critic of the security law, tearfully handed back Hong Kong to Chinese rule.

After a long-drawn series of protests and opposition, The authorities have come out and said that this legislation is only aimed at “troublemakers” and will not affect the common public or their freedom, despite evidence suggesting otherwise.

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