Letter to Wall Street Journal (English only)
The Editor
The Wall Street Journal
Dear Editor,
I am appalled by your editorial “Hong Kong’s Global Bounty Hunters”(July 3), which demonstrates extreme political bias and double standards.
The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of China (HKSAR) has a duty to make every effort to bring to justice people who have absconded overseas and allegedly committed offences under the law, including the Hong Kong National Security Law.
It is a common practice of the Police and other law enforcement agencies to release information of fugitive offenders who have allegedly committed serious offences and are wanted, and appeal to members of the public to assist in bringing fugitive offenders to justice. This is also squarely in line with the international practice.
What’s more, extraterritoriality is a common feature of national security laws in many countries, including the United Kingdom, the United States and Australia. Your editorial’s suggestion that China and the HKSAR should be held to standards different from other parts of the world is sheer hypocrisy.
Endangering national security is a very serious offence. No country should harbour criminals. The suggestion of your editorial that the HKSAR Government has abused our laws is no further from the truth, turning a blind eye to the clear fact that the wanted persons who have absconded overseas allegedly have continued to engage in acts and activities endangering national security.
No one is above the law, and the Hong Kong Police Force will take all necessary measures in accordance with the law to bring the persons concerned to justice.
Yours faithfully,
Tang Ping-keung
Secretary for Security
The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region