Secretary for Commerce & Economic Development Edward Yau said today it is implausible to suggest the proposed fugitive law amendments will impact the city’s business environment.

Mr Yau was responding to the findings of a US report which also said the proposed changes to Hong Kong’s extradition laws could create serious risks for US national security and economic interests in the city.

He said Hong Kong attaches great importance to its ties with foreign countries, but such relations, particularly economic and trade ones, are not based on the views of a particular country or its parliament, but rather on being mutually beneficial.

The commerce chief added that the report showed a need for the Government to continue explaining the Fugitive Offenders & Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters Legislation (Amendment) Bill 2019 to the community.

“It has long been Hong Kong’s practice to tackle all these problems by a very objective and also systematic way of handling legislative proposals.”

He noted that the amendment bill aimed to deal with a Taiwan homicide case involving a Hong Kong suspect and to plug an existing legal loophole.

“If there are any questions, queries or misunderstandings arising from this bill, I think it is the job of the Government to explain and articulate.”

There is nothing better than having the Legislative Council Bills Committee scrutinise and discuss the details of the bill, he added.