Relationship dossier
Hong Kong
Australia
Relationship assessment
Economic cooperation continues alongside Australian concerns over Hong Kong's national security law.
Hong Kong toward Australia
+20Within its authority over external economic matters, Hong Kong concluded a free-trade agreement with Australia, which entered into force in 2020. Hong Kong's external relations remain subject to its status as a special administrative region of China.
Australia toward Hong Kong
+15Australia maintains a free-trade agreement with Hong Kong and introduced immigration measures for eligible Hong Kong residents. In 2020, Australia suspended its extradition agreement with Hong Kong in response to the national security law.
Overall relationship
+15The relationship combines a durable economic framework with a significant legal and political disagreement. The free-trade agreement supports cooperation, while Australia's suspension of extradition arrangements reflects concern over Hong Kong's national security law. Hong Kong's status as a special administrative region limits its independent role in foreign affairs.
How to read these scores
Scores are rough judgments, not objective measurements or current verification. Directional scores describe government policy and conduct, not public opinion. The overall score is an independent estimate, never an average.
- −100
- Extreme sustained hostility
- −50
- Substantially adversarial
- 0
- Mixed or neutral, supported by knowledge
- +50
- Substantially cooperative
- +100
- Exceptionally close sustained partnership
“Not assessed” means there is no recorded score. Pair existence makes no claim about diplomatic recognition or established relations.
Relationship context
Overview
Hong Kong is a special administrative region of China and does not conduct an independent foreign policy, though it has authority to handle some external economic matters. Hong Kong and Australia maintain a free-trade arrangement. Australia also suspended its extradition agreement with Hong Kong after the 2020 national security law and introduced immigration measures for eligible Hong Kong residents.
Areas of tension
- Australia's concerns over Hong Kong's national security law
- Australia's suspension of its extradition agreement with Hong Kong
Key developments
Hong Kong and Australia signed a free-trade agreement, which entered into force in 2020.
Australia suspended its extradition agreement with Hong Kong following the introduction of Hong Kong's national security law.
Australia introduced immigration measures for eligible Hong Kong residents.
Major uncertainties
- The extent of Hong Kong's independent role in implementing bilateral economic arrangements is unclear.
- The longer-term effects of Australia's suspension of the extradition agreement on other bilateral cooperation are uncertain.