Can China request my deportation from the UK instead of formal extradition?

Yes, and this is a serious concern. Where formal extradition is unavailable, Chinese authorities sometimes pressure foreign governments to use immigration powers — deportation or administrative removal — as a backdoor alternative. UK immigration law contains human rights protections mirroring those in extradition proceedings, but the procedural safeguards are weaker and timelines shorter. If you face deportation to China, you must immediately raise asylum or Article 3 ECHR claims to block removal. The legal test differs from extradition, focusing on whether removal would breach the UK’s non-refoulement obligations rather than the formal bars in the Extradition Act 2003.