US formally ends three accords with Hong Kong
American authorities on Wednesday formally notified Hong Kong that the United States has withdrawn from three bilateral deals with the semi-autonomous Chinese city on extradition and taxation. The agreements covered the surrender of fugitive offenders, the transfer of sentenced persons, and reciprocal tax exemptions on income derived from the international operation of ships. The announcement follows President Donald Trump's decision to revoke Hong Kong's preferential trade status as Beijing clamped down on the territory over huge and often violent pro-democracy protests last year. In July, Trump signed an executive order stipulating that Hong Kong lacked the autonomy needed to justify special treatment as compared with China. Hong Kong yesterday said it will suspend some legal cooperation with the United States, China's foreign ministry said, in a tit-for-tat response to Washington ending the agreements.
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