Hong Kong priest 'ready to head to Taiwan' to discuss surrender of murder suspect after border reopens - inspiration for failed extradition bill

Rachel Wong
Hong Kong Free Press
Fri, 18 Sep 2020 20:55 UTC

© Stand News

Chan Tong-kai is released from prison on October 23.

A Hong Kong priest says he is ready to fly to Taiwan to discuss the surrender of a fugitive murder suspect whose case helped trigger last year's extradition bill crisis and mass protests.

Chan Tong-kai is accused of murdering his girlfriend Amber Poon during their holiday on the island in 2018, when he was aged 19, before flying back to Hong Kong.

Because Taiwan and Hong Kong have no extradition treaty Chan could not be returned to the country and could only be tried in Hong Kong for money-laundering over money and valuables he took from his girlfriend. He has been free since his release on October 23 last year after serving 18 months in jail.

Chief Executive Carrie Lam cited Chan's case when pushing last year to pass a controversial extradition bill, which would also have allowed extradition to mainland China. Mass protests against the bill turned into a city-wide pro-democracy campaign and convulsed Hong Kong for months.

The priest, Reverend Peter Koon, has said he will head to Taiwan as soon as coronavirus travel restrictions are lifted to discuss details of Chan's surrender. Chan has admitted the killing.

Koon said Chan had always intended to turn himself in but the plan was delayed by the Covid-19 pandemic. Taiwan has imposed border restrictions since March and only allows the entry of business travellers.

Koon said he would fly to Taiwan and discuss details of the case with lawyers after the border is re opened.

Chiu Chui-cheng, spokesman for Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council, said Thursday the key factors in the case were the Hong Kong government's sense of responsibility and whether Chan truly wishes to surrender.

He told reporters at the press briefing that the Criminal Investigation Bureau of Taiwan's National Police Agency has set up a single window for communication with Hong Kong police regarding the present case.

Lam last year had urged legislators to pass the bill to "plug loopholes" before Chan was released after serving his money-laundering sentence.

Taiwan in response said it did not intend to seek Chan as a suspect in the murder case if Hong Kong passed what it called a politically motivated extradition bill. But Taipei said it was willing to provide assistance.

Comment: As noted, Chan's case was the pretext behind Lam's failed extradition bill. Hong Kong does not have an extradition agreement with either mainland China or Taiwan, and the bill proposed to allow both. (Note that China itself doesn't have an extradition treaty with Taiwan.) Hong Kongers naturally saw through the pretext and managed to get the bill cancelled after massive protests that drew nearly a quarter of the population into the streets. But the victory was pyrrhic. China flexed their executive privilege with the national security law, making the issue a moot point now that those arrested under it can be sent to the mainland - no extradition treaty necessary.