Hong Kong authorities on Wednesday scrapped the controversial extradition bill that launched months of violent protest in the semi-autonomous Chinese city.

Secretary for Security John Lee would only say the decision was made due to “conflicts in society.”

The announcement comes on the heels of the release from prison of Chan Tong-kai, the Hong Kong man whose case prompted the proposed extradition agreement in June.

Tong-kai, 20, who was doing time for money laundering, is suspected of killing his pregnant girlfriend while on vacation in Taiwan last year.

But because there was no treaty among Taiwan, China and Hong Kong, authorities there could not bring him back to stand trial — so Hong Kong leaders proposed the extradition law.

However, demonstrators in Hong Kong saw the move as an attempt by China to start chipping away at democratic freedoms the city was promised when the former British colony was turned over to China in 1997.

The demonstrations morphed into massive pro-democracy demonstrations that have torn the city apart for five months.

Tong-kai vowed to return to Taiwan to face the murder charges, but it remains unclear if that move and withdrawal of the proposed treaty will stifle protesters.

The violent demonstrations have proven an international embarrassment for China, which celebrated the 70th anniversary of its communist revolution in the midst of violent protests.

With Post wires