Former foreign minister Bob Carr said the historic Hong Kong protests shouldn’t be overlooked

Former foreign minister Bob Carr says China can’t afford to ignore the millions of protesters in Hong Kong. He is worried the proposed extradition bill could have “diminished” the country’s judicial independence.

• Why Australians should back Hong Kong protesters
• 12,000 Hong Kongers ask PM to help their compatriots

Former foreign minister Bob Carr says China cannot afford to ignore the message of more than one million protesters­ in Hong Kong.

Mr Carr was concerned that the proposed extradition bill, to allow people in Hong Kong to be taken to mainland China, could have “diminished­” Hong Kong’s judicial independence.

“If I was foreign minister today I would be raising this with my Chinese counterpart and registering my concern on three grounds,” he told The Daily Telegraph.

Bob Carr is worried the proposed extradition bill could have “diminished” Hong Kong’s judicial independence. Picture: John Feder

MORE NEWS

US sailors’ Tinder blitz on Sydney stopover

Less than half of Aussie teachers prepared for class

Zali Steggall takes swipe at Abbott during awards speech

“(The protest) was clearly a historic expression of public opinion and I don’t believe that Beijing can afford to overlook it, nor would I expect­ them to.

“It follows that we support no diminishing of the freedoms Hong Kong people enjoy as their valued system under the overarching sovereignty of the People’s Republic of China.”

Former NSW premier Mr Carr’s comments came after Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam issued an apology after more than a million protesters­ took to the streets over the proposed extradition­ laws.

The bill, which would allow the Chinese government to extradite Hong Kong suspects to the mainland, has now been suspended.

Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam issued an apology after the bill was suspended. Picture: Anthony Wallace/AFP

However, Hong Kong officials­ have refused to cancel­ it altogether — prompting more protests.

Former prime minister Paul Keating’s office declined to comment on the protests yesterday, although he has recently talked of the need to strengthen ties with China.

In May, Mr Keating referred­ to Australia’s intelligence­ community as “nutters” and suggested Australia­ needed to heal its relationship with China.

“There’s healing to be done, but I think a Labor government­ would make a huge shift just really making the point that China’s entitled­ to be there rather than being some illegitimate state that has to be strategically watched,” he said.

More than one million people protested the proposed extradition bill. Picture: Carl Court/Getty Images

Former senator Sam Dastyari, who last year resigned­ over a Chinese donation­ scandal­, could not be reached for comment.

Mr Carr, who served as foreign minister from 2012 to 2013, said the Australian government­ had a right to express­ concern over the issue which prompted the protests.

“There is a huge Australian professional and business presence in Hong Kong and it is one of our most valuable economic relationships in Asia,” he said.

“Second, we support as an important Australian value the universally applicable­ value — the independence of the judiciary,­ and where that is diminished I would expect Australia to say something.

“Third, we believe in the principle of ‘one nation­, two systems’.”