China ratifies extradition treaty with SL

China's top legislature, the National People's Congress on Monday approved an extradition treaty with Sri Lanka, Chinese media reported yesterday.

Media reported that the 22-article extradition treaty covers issues such as extradition obligations, offences eligible for extradition, reasons that can and should be used to refuse extradition, and the settlement of disputes.

Authorised by the State Council, the Chinese negotiation team was made up of officials from various departments and started talks with the Sri Lankan side on September 2014. The two sides signed the treaty on April 7, 2016, in Beijing. The treaty was submitted on August 22 to the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, the top legislature, to review at its ongoing bimonthly session.

The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said China signed an extradition treaty with Sri Lanka in 2016 but it had not been ratified until yesterday.