China News Service, October 23. According to the press release of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government, in accordance with the instructions of the Central People’s Government, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government has issued a notice to the Consulate General of Finland in Hong Kong on October 23 to suspend the implementation of the "Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government and Agreement of the Government of the Republic of Finland on the Surrender of Fugitive Offenders.
A spokesperson for the Special Administrative Region Government said: "It is an international practice to maintain national security through laws. Finland has enacted relevant laws, but under the pretext of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China Law on the Maintenance of National Security, it unilaterally suspends the implementation of the signing with the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government firmly opposes the transfer of fugitive offenders’ agreement, which openly interferes in China’s internal affairs and violates international law and basic norms of international relations. Finland’s politicization of judicial cooperation undermines the foundation for judicial cooperation between the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and Finland. For this reason, In accordance with the instructions of the Central People’s Government, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government has suspended the implementation of the Hong Kong-Finnish Handover Agreement on Fugitive Offenders."
The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region signed an agreement with Finland on the surrender of fugitive offenders in May 2005, and the agreement took effect in August 2013.