A case of justice denied over cross-strait tensions
- Pressure on Hong Kong officials is growing over the case of Chan Tong-kai, the man who admitted killing pregnant girlfriend Poon Hiu-wing on a trip to Taipei and subsequently prompted the ill-fated government bill that triggered the 2019 civil unrest
The man behind the extradition bill crisis continues to make headlines. Chan Tong-kai, who admitted killing his pregnant girlfriend, Poon Hiu-wing, during a trip to Taipei in 2018 and prompted the ill-fated government bill to help transfer him and other fugitives to places with which the city has no extradition agreements, is being pushed by the victim’s mother again to honour his promise of surrendering himself to the Taiwan authorities.
Pressure on Hong Kong officials to step in is also growing as the episode drags on. Unfortunately, the issue goes beyond the administration of justice and the stalemate may continue because of the prevailing cross-strait political tensions.
The frustration of Poon’s mother is understandable. As soon as it came to light that the murder suspect was no longer living under police protection, the mother appealed for action again to have him sent to the island for trial.
He was earlier living in a police safe house after serving his sentence here for money-laundering offences related to the murder. A police security review concluded that it was time to end the protection.
The change in circumstances does not alter the fact that he still needs to face the music. Chan would have been serving his sentence on the island had authorities on all sides handled the case more flexibly and proactively.
Even though he offered to go to Taiwan for the murder trial two years ago, it was bogged down in a war of words over protocol and deteriorating Hong Kong-Taiwan relations. This was further complicated by Taiwan’s insistence of government-level exchange over the transfer arrangements.
Justice is, regrettably, denied because of politics.
The Security Bureau said it had no role to play in facilitating Chan’s transfer. This clearly falls short of the expectation of Poon’s mother, who was pushing for a face-to-face session with Chan and others outside government headquarters in the hope of settling the transfer.
She also appealed to Beijing’s liaison office for help, noting its officials had been reaching out to the community lately. Her actions speak volumes on her disappointment and grievances over the lack of progress in the case.
But she must also realise that the prevailing cross-strait tensions have made it more difficult.
