A murder suspect whose case was used by the Hong Kong government to push for a controversial extradition bill has walked free from jail as the city's authorities squabbled with Taiwan over how to handle a promised voluntary surrender.
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Chan Tong-kai, a Hong Kong citizen, was accused of murdering his girlfriend in Taiwan in 2018 before fleeing back to the Chinese-ruled financial hub.
Chan, wearing a navy blue shirt and red backpack, bowed and apologised to the family of his ex-girlfriend and the public as he left the prison in Hong Kong's rural Sai Kung district on Wednesday after being sentenced to 29 months for money laundering.
He said he had made an "unforgivable mistake" and was willing to plead guilty and turn himself in to Taiwan for trial.
The Hong Kong government seized on the case to justify pushing through a now-withdrawn extradition bill, leading to five months of sometimes violent protests that have now evolved into broader calls for democracy.
"I hope her family can be relieved a bit and let her rest in peace," he said, declining to say when he would turn himself in.
"For the society, for Hong Kongers I can only be sorry. I hope you can all forgive me ... let me be a new person and give me the opportunity to return to society."
While Chan has offered to surrender himself voluntarily, Hong Kong and Taiwan have clashed over the next steps.
An extradition bill would have allowed criminal suspects to be sent from Hong Kong to greater China, including the mainland, Taiwan and Macau.
The government announced on Wednesday it had withdrawn the bill.
Hong Kong's Secretary for Security John Lee said on Wednesday that Taiwanese authorities were obstructing the case for "political reasons" and Chan should be free to go to Taiwan and surrender himself.
Taiwan has argued his extradition without a legal assistance framework would damage Taiwan's sovereignty and put Taiwan under the "one China" framework.
Beijing considers Taiwan to be a wayward province of "one China", ineligible for state-to-state relations, and has never renounced the use of force to bring the island under its control.
Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen weighed in, saying Taiwan would "take care of the matter" adding there was no "such thing as surrender, only arrest".
Chan was arrested by Hong Kong police in March 2018 and authorities there were only able to find evidence against him for money laundering.
Australian Associated Press
