The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government today issued a severe reprimand against the US administration for its unilateral decision to suspend or terminate three bilateral agreements with Hong Kong.

The bilateral agreements concerned are the Agreement on the Surrender of Fugitive Offenders (SFO), the Transfer of Sentenced Persons (TSP) Agreement and the Agreement concerning Tax Exemptions from the Income Derived from the International Operation of Ship signed between the Hong Kong SAR Government and the US Government.

The severe reprimand was issued in response to the suspension or termination of these three agreements announced by the US Department of State on August 19 as part of the so-called ongoing implementation measures following the US President Donald Trump’s executive order issued in mid-July.

The Hong Kong SAR Government said the agreements are not US' preferential treatment for Hong Kong, but instead are those negotiated in good faith to benefit people and businesses of both sides in areas of law and order, shipping and tax treatment.

The US' unilateral decision reflected its disrespect for bilateralism and multilateralism under the current administration and should be condemned by the international community.

It strongly objected to and deplored the US' action which is widely seen as a move to create troubles in the China-US relationship by using Hong Kong as a pawn.

On the suspension of the SFO Agreement, the Hong Kong SAR Government pointed out that with its assistance, the number of fugitive offenders successfully surrendered to the US upon request amounted to a total of 69, which is much higher than the total number of 23 fugitive offenders surrendered to Hong Kong from the US.

It is expected that suspension of the agreement will have greater impact on the US' enforcement operation and will allow criminals of serious crimes to evade legal sanctions and thus failing to uphold justice for victims.

Regarding the TSP Agreement which allows sentenced people to return to their places of origin to serve their sentence, the Hong Kong SAR Government commented that the US' decision to terminate the agreement would eliminate the possibility of such transfers and defy values of humanitarianism.

Meanwhile, the Hong Kong SAR Government pointed to the fact that it has not approved any application for transfer of sentenced people from Hong Kong to the US since 2012 due to doubts on the US' system of continued enforcement of sentences.

As for the termination of Agreement concerning Tax Exemptions from the Income Derived from the International Operation of Ship, the Hong Kong SAR Government explained that it would increase the operating costs of US and Hong Kong shipping companies, in particular the US ones as they will be subject to double taxation, adding that it would also hamper the development of the shipping sector between Hong Kong and US and is to nobody's interest.

Additionally, the Hong Kong SAR Government said it will take action against the US for its new rule on origin marking of Hong Kong products exported to there under the World Trade Organization’s (WTO) dispute settlement mechanism, and that the Geneva Economic & Trade Office will follow up the case in accordance with the WTO processes.

It also urged the US administration to immediately stop interfering in Hong Kong’s internal affairs and retract its baseless allegations against the National Security Law.

The Hong Kong SAR Government announced tonight that in accordance with the instruction of the Central People's Government, it issued a notice to the US Consulate General in Hong Kong to suspend the implementation of two Hong Kong-US agreements.

They are the Agreement between the Government of Hong Kong & the Government of the United States of America for the Surrender of Fugitive Offenders, and the Agreement between the Government of Hong Kong & the Government of the United States of America on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters.