US renews concern on Hong Kong extradition law after mass protests

[WASHINGTON] The United States on Monday urged Hong Kong to engage with its residents on concerns about allowing extraditions to mainland China, saying that massive protests showed the breadth of opposition.

The State Department renewed its concerns about the law, on which China and Hong Kong's local authorities have refused to budge despite Sunday's largest protests in the city's history since the 1997 handover from Britain.

"The peaceful demonstration of hundreds of thousands of Hong Kongers yesterday clearly shows the public's opposition to the proposed amendments," State Department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus told reporters.

"We are also concerned that the amendments could damage Hong Kong's business environment and subject our citizens residing in or visiting Hong Kong to China's capricious judicial system."

Ms Ortagus called on Hong Kong authorities to consult "a broad range of local and international stakeholders."

"The continued erosion of the one-country, two-systems framework puts at risk Hong Kong's long-established special status in international affairs," she said.

AFP