Hong Kong: Dominic Raab offers citizenship rights to 2.9 million British nationals
The foreign secretary says the "bespoke" visa route will let residents and their families come to the UK.
Wednesday 1 July 2020 20:21, UK
British citizenship is being offered to 2.9 million people living in Hong Kong in light of controversial security laws imposed by China.
Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab confirmed the move he touted several weeks ago, saying "we will not duck our historic responsibilities".
He said the "bespoke" visa route would let British Nationals Overseas - people who were Hong Kong citizens before 1997 - and their dependents come from to work or study in the UK for five years.
They will then be able to apply for settled status and - if successful - can apply for citizenship one year later.
But Victor Gao, who was former Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping's translator, said he "seriously doubts" the British government will follow through on its promise.
He told Sky News: "They didn't do it in 1997 and I don't think they'll do it now.
"If you compare Hong Kong to Britain, lots of people in HK love living there because it's a good place to do business, very low taxes, people won't choose to leave."
He said that anybody who cares for Hong Kong's future would support the new law and claimed lots of Hong Kongers do because they are fed up of the past 12 months of "violence, anarchy and an attack on the rule of law".
Mr Gao insisted the right to protest and demonstrate and the freedom of speech and assembly are "fully protected" under the new law, despite 370 people being arrested on Wednesday - including 10 for "breaching" the new law.
Mr Raab condemned the arrests in Hong Kong of people displaying pro-independence banners and flags, but whose activities were non-violent.
Police fired pepper spray hand guns and tear gas, with water cannon also used to disperse protesters.
Thousands of demonstrators gathered for an annual rally marking the anniversary of the former British colony's handover to China in 1997.
The new security law drawn up by Beijing makes secessionist, subversive, or terrorist activities illegal in Hong Kong - as well as foreign intervention in the city's internal affairs.
Mr Raab said the implications for Hong Kong are severe, as it "violates its autonomy and threatens the strangulation of its freedoms".
He accused China of a "grave and deeply disturbing" breach of the Sino-British Joint Declaration that set out Hong Kong's mostly autonomous rule for 50 years after the territory was handed back in 1997.
Chris Patten, Hong Kong's last governor under British rule, said the new law was a "complete overturning of One Country, Two Systems" - the principle under which the declaration was formed.
He called the law "Orwellian", said it will damage Hong Kong's economy, and said that the UK and its allies need to stand up to China.
Lord Patten told Sky News: "We should work with them, make clear that when China behaves reasonably that's fine and we'll work with them, when they behave badly we'll call them out, there will be consequences.
"There has to be, otherwise the 21st century will become increasingly unstable, increasingly less prosperous and increasingly dangerous."
The Foreign Office has confirmed there will be no "quota" on the number of those who can apply to come to the UK from Hong Kong.
Emily Lau, a former chair of Hong Kong's Democratic Party, said she thinks some people will be "very keen" to take Mr Raab up on his offer, but "certainly not millions" as she hopes other allies such as Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the US will also help out.
She told Sky News: "Certainly, I hope there will be an international lifeboat scheme to help the very frightened people of Hong Kong."
An immigration lawyer claimed the process for the UK "lacks certainty" and will be "extremely costly" given application fees to the Home Office could total £3,000.
Kathryn Bradbury, partner and head of citizenship and immigration at Payne Hicks Beach solicitors' firm, said: "It would be much more equitable to simply confer full British citizenship to these persons given their BNO status."