Photo: FM

China has decided to suspend the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR)'s extradition treaty and agreement on mutual legal assistance in criminal matters with New Zealand as New Zealand has politicized judicial cooperation and interfered in China's internal affairs by suspending its extradition treaty with Hong Kong, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said at a press briefing on Monday.

New Zealand's unilateral suspension of its extradition treaty with Hong Kong, using China's enactment of the national security law for Hong Kong as an excuse, has seriously violated international law and basic norms of international relations, and undermined the foundation of the HKSAR's judicial cooperation with it, said Wang.

"China firmly opposes this act by New Zealand and therefore has decided to suspend the HKSAR's extradition and judicial assistance treaties with New Zealand," he said.

New Zealand's Foreign Affairs Minister, Winston Peters, announced the suspension of the country's extradition treaty with Hong Kong on July 28, the fourth country in the Five Eyes intelligence alliance to do so, following the UK, Australia and Canada.

Winston Peters said in a statement that the act was a response to the passage of the national security law for Hong Kong, which he claimed undermined the "one country, two systems" principle.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry on Tuesday said New Zealand's move was based on a wrong interpretation of the national security legislation for Hong Kong and China reserves the right to further respond.