Spain and France already support the principles of extradition in China

China firmly backed the Hong Kong government on a controversial draft law allowing extradition to the mainland on Monday and voiced opposition to "outside interference" following a mbadive demonstration against the law. But a mbad extradition of suspected Taiwanese fraudsters from Spain to Beijing shows an increase in the judicial reach of China around the world.

Last week, Spain extradited 94 Taiwanese citizens to mainland China. They were part of a total of 269 Chinese and Chinese who were arrested in 2016 after a large joint Hispanic-Chinese operation involving 600 Spanish police and 100 Chinese policemen – a first.

The suspects have been accused of organizing scams in telecommunications targeting Chinese citizens, using 13 separate telephone networks in Madrid, Barcelona and Alicante.

This action, called "Operation of the Great Wall", lasted five months and ended in December 2016, according to the official Chinese Xinhua News Agency.

According to a press release issued in 2016 by the Spanish police, the suspects worked in 13 villas where the telephone operators were working "day and night" in "secret conditions" targeting people in Mainland China and successfully extorting more than 15 million d & # 39; euros.

The mbadive operation seems to exceed the amount in question, but its symbolic value is considerable.

After an extradition request sent on 1 January 2017 by the Chinese Ministry of Public Security, the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs agreed to send the suspects, mostly from Taiwan, to Beijing.

Human rights organizations and lawyers fought to prevent extradition, saying the Chinese justice system was badly flawed.

Death sentence
"We are appalled by the decision of the Spanish courts to extradite these people," said the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights in a statement issued in May 2018, calling Spain to "put an end to extraditions".

"The decision clearly contravenes Spain's international commitment to refrain from deporting [ … ] people in a state where there are compelling reasons to believe that they are likely to be subjected to torture "or to the death penalty, the statement continues.

The Xinhua Chinese news agency applauds the Chinese ruling, citing the director of the Chinese Criminal Investigation Bureau who "praised the adherence of the Spanish governments to the" principle of one China ", meaning that Spain recognizes Taiwan as "an inseparable part" of mainland China.

Beijing calls on any country that wants diplomatic relations to cut off all official ties with Taipei and to recognize Beijing as the only legitimate leader in China.

Hong Kong protests the extradition law
Meanwhile, in Hong Kong, more than a million people (according to the organizers) have demonstrated Sunday against a law allowing anyone staying in the territory to be extradited to "any jurisdiction ", including mainland China.

On Monday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Gang Shuang said Beijing would "continue to strongly support" the Hong Kong administration, where the chief executive, Carrie Lam, had refused to postpone the law.

The decision puts his administration on a collision course with opponents who criticized his position and called on supporters to gather in front of Parliament on Wednesday or hold strikes.

The bill has sparked opposition that brings together a large demographic group, triggering the biggest protests since 2014. Protests for democracy have immobilized part of the city for two months.

Suspicions about China have been compounded by a series of high-profile disappearances of people who subsequently appeared in detention on the mainland, including a group of dissident publishers and a disappeared billionaire from a big hotel.

la France
At present, China has concluded extradition treaties with some 40 countries, including Bulgaria, Lithuania, Portugal, Romania, Spain and France, members of the # 39; EU.

Paris signed the treaty in 2007, but France can refuse extradition if a suspect can be sentenced to death after returning to China.

The extradition of Taiwanese residents to China is still extremely rare, only Indonesia, Cambodia and Kenya preceded Spain by sending Taiwanese suspects to Beijing to be prosecuted.