China Won’t Interfere in Hong Kong’s Call on Nirav Modi Arrest

Nirav Modi is reportedly in Hong Kong, which is a special administrative region of China.

Nirav Modi.

(Photo Courtesy: Facebook/NIRAVMODIjewels)

China on Monday, 9 April, said Hong Kong can accede to India's request to arrest fugitive Indian diamond merchant Nirav Modi based on local laws and mutual judicial assistance agreements.

India's Minister of State for External Affairs V K Singh told the Parliament last week that "the ministry has sought the provisional arrest of Nirav Deepak Modi by the government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), the People's Republic of China".

Asked about India's request, China’s foreign ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang's told a media briefing in Beijing that “if India makes relevant request to the HKSAR, we believe the HKSAR will follow the basic law and relevant laws and under relevant judicial agreements with India with the relevant issue”.

According to the one country two systems and basic law of the HKSAR, under the assistance and authorisation of the central government, the HKSAR can make proper arrangement on judicial mutual assistance with other countries.

China’s foreign ministry spokesperson

Modi, who is wanted in connection with the Rs 12,700-crore scam at the Punjab National Bank, is reportedly in Hong Kong which is a special administrative region of China.

Modi has his shop in Hong Kong besides in Beijing.

Hong Kong was formerly a colony of the British Empire, after its the cession from Qing China in 1842. China resumed sovereignty over the region in 1997.

As a special administrative region, Hong Kong maintains a separate political and economic system than that of mainland China.