§ Mr. Jon Owen JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to raise the issue of China's policy of executing Chinese nationals who commit tax fraud with the Chinese Government, before the transfer of Hong Kong's sovereignty. [7665]
§ Mr. HanleyWe and our EU partners have expressed to the Chinese authorities our concern about the use of the death penalty when this is in disregard of international legal safeguards.
The death penalty was abolished in Hong Kong by the Crimes (Amendment) Ordinance in April 1993. Under the Sino-British joint declaration, the laws previously in force in Hong Kong shall be maintained, save for any that contravene the Basic Law and subject to any amendment by the Hong Kong special autonomous region legislature.