Progress Expected On Taiwan Murder Suspect's Return

A pastor who is working to help the murder suspect Chan Tong-kai return to face justice in Taiwan says arrangements should become clear in the next few days after his legal team meets the authorities in Taipei on Monday.

Reverend Peter Koon says Chan has given instructions to the Taiwanese legal team to meet officials and pave the way for his return.

The pastor stressed that Chan did want to go through with his promise to return to Taiwan, where he's accused of murdering his pregnant girlfriend, Poon Hiu-wing, in 2018.

On his arrest in Hong Kong, he confessed under caution to the murder, but there was no legal basis for prosecuting him here and he couldn't be returned because there was no extradition agreement in place.

He served time in prison for money laundering after taking his girlfriend's valuables.

The Hong Kong government cited the case as the basis for an attempt to amend the extradition law last year. The proposal was later abandoned amid months of often violent protests.

Meanwhile, Taiwanese authorities urged the Hong Kong government and Chan to get in touch as soon as possible using established channels.

Taipei's Mainland Affairs Council said a channel for communication had been set up between the two police forces last year. It accused the Hong Kong government of delaying Chan's surrender by failing to take active steps to help him return.

However, the SAR's Security Bureau said yesterday said no such channel existed between the two police forces. It said the SAR would not hand any evidence over to Taiwan because it lacked a legal basis to do so.

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