UK PM Boris Johnson says Britain has to stand by its 'friends in Hong Kong'

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has made it amply clear that Britain will support Hong Kong in its quest for greater autonomy after Beijing’s controversial security law. Speaking to LBC radio, Johnson said that Britain has to stick up with its friends in Hong Kong for their freedoms, for their rights to association and free speech.

“We gave a commitment in 1984 to look after them...to make sure that we stood by them, and we will,” asserted the British PM.

Earlier on July 1, Johnson held China in "clear and serious breach" of the Sino-British agreement under which Hong Kong returned to the Chinese rule in 1997. Answering the questions in House of Commons, the Conservative leader said that China’s national security law is in direct conflict with Hong Kong Basic Law.

Johnson highlighted that the law also threatens the freedoms and rights protected under the Joint Declaration and reiterated the government’s pledge to provide citizenship to  British National (Overseas) living in Hong. He said that the government would introduce a new route for those with British National (Overseas) status to enter the UK, granting them limited leave to remain with the ability to live and work in the UK and apply for citizenship.

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'Irresponsible and unwarranted'

After Johnson’s remarks in the House of Commons, Chinese Ambassador to UK Lui Xiaoming met Foreign Office's permanent under-secretary, Sir Simon McDonald, and categorically rejected UK’s “unwarranted accusations” against national security law. Liu said in a statement that the recent remarks by the UK side on the national security law for Hong Kong are "irresponsible and unwarranted”. 

"The national security law is timely, necessary and reasonable. This is the fundamental solution that will end the chaos and restore order in Hong Kong. It targets a few criminals but protects the majority of HK people," he added. 

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