CE: Taiwan Murder Suspect's Surrender A 'relief'

Chief Executive Carrie Lam has expressed relief at the decision of a Hong Kong man accused of murdering his girlfriend in Taiwan to hand himself in to the authorities there.

The case of Chan Tong-kai was cited by Lam as the key motivator for her attempt to amend the extradition law, which sparked mass protests that have since snowballed into a months-long, increasingly chaotic movement with a range of demands.

Speaking on an RTHK programme on Saturday, Lam confirmed that she had received a letter from Chan requesting the government's help in securing a return to Taipei, where he is accused of killing Poon Hiu-wing last year.

She said the authorities here had already been in touch with their counterparts in Taiwan to secure Chan's return.

It emerged on Friday that Chan had decided to go back to Taiwan after months of counselling from an Anglican pastor. He is serving a 26-month sentence for money laundering here in relation to the misuse of property he took from Poon. He is due to be released next week.

Chan could not be tried for murder here, despite telling police that he killed Poon. He could not be extradited against his will because Hong Kong lacks any such arrangement with Taipei.