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WORLD NEWS Wednesday 23 OctOber 2019

Hong Kong, Taiwan spar over fugitive case that led to unrest

By KELVIN CHAN cort Chan back, said Chiu
Associated Press Chui-cheung, the council's
HONG KONG (AP) — Hong deputy director.
Kong is feuding with Taiwan They hoped Hong Kong of-
over a fugitive murder sus- ficials would receive them
pect whose case indirectly and hand over Chan along
sparked mass protests in with any evidence and
Hong Kong in opposition to testimony collected in the
an unpopular extradition case, he said.
bill. "If Hong Kong won't handle
Hong Kong officials plead- it, we will handle it," Chiu
ed on Tuesday for authori- said. "We hope the Hong
ties in Taiwan to let the Kong side can coordinate
man surrender himself for with our people coming
killing his girlfriend while vis- to Hong Kong to verify the
iting the self-ruled island last identity of the suspect and
year. bring him back."
Taiwan's premier, Su Tseng- Hong Kong's leader, Chief
chang, rejected the idea, Executive Carrie Lam, had
saying Chan Tong-kai cited Chan's case as one
should instead go on trial of the main reasons be-
in Hong Kong when he is hind proposed changes
released Wednesday af- to Hong Kong's extradition
ter serving a sentence for laws, saying it presented a
money laundering offens- "loophole" allowing him to
es. avoid being sent back to
Su said Taiwan has offered face charges in Taiwan. But
its cooperation on handling is very strange." the ruling Communist Party Taiwan later changed tack. fears that such a law would
the case since it began but Formal cooperation with in Beijing wouldn't stom- Officials said that with put residents at risk of be-
had received no response Taiwan would require Hong ach because it consid- Hong Kong unresponsive to ing sent to mainland Chi-
from Hong Kong. Kong, a semi-autonomous ers Taiwan a breakaway requests for formal cooper- na's murky judicial system
"Now they drastically Chinese territory, to recog- province and refuses to ation, the Taiwanese gov- sparked months of chaotic
changed their attitude, nize the island's legal bod- acknowledge the admin- ernment's Mainland Affairs protests that mushroomed
saying that they will send ies as a legitimate official istration of directly elected Council wrote a letter of- into Hong Kong's biggest
him to Taiwan," Su said. "This authority. That's something President Tsai Ing-wen. fering to send a team to es- political crisis in decades.q

Duterte cuts short Japan trip due to 'unbearable' spine pain

By JIM GOMEZ ing to stand stiffly. In other was not worrisome.
Associated Press photos sent by an aide to “The palace announces
MANILA, Philippines (AP) the media in Manila, the that the president will cut
— Philippine President Ro- 74-year-old president ap- short his trip to Japan due
drigo Duterte is cutting pears to be in a light mood to unbearable pain in his
short his trip to Japan due as he, his daughter and an spinal column near the
to “unbearable pain” in his aide extend their fists for- pelvic bone as a conse-
spinal column caused by ward in a symbolic gesture quence of his fall during his
his fall during a motorcycle associated with Duterte. motorcycle ride,” Panelo
ride last week, his spokes- Presidential spokesman Sal- said in a statement. “While
man said Tuesday. vador Panelo said Duterte this was unforeseeable,
Duterte attended Japa- would fly back to the Phil- the public can rest assured
nese Emperor Naruhito’s ippines later Tuesday and that there is nothing to wor- Philippines President, Rodrigo Duterte arrives to attend the
enthronement ceremony in see his neurologist Wednes- ry as regards the physical enthronement ceremony of Emperor Naruhito of Japan at the
Tokyo on Tuesday, at times day but assured the public health and condition of the Imperial Palace on Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2019 in Tokyo.
using a cane and appear- that the president’s health president.”q Associated Press