Why is UK offering citizenship to Hongkongers with BNO passport?

As Hong Kong struggles with massive protest over China’s proposed national security law, United Kingdom on May 29 said it is looking for a path to offer citizenship to Hongkongers with B passport. UK’s Home Secretary Priti Patel said she was "deeply concerned" at China's proposals, ding that country will continue to explore options to allow Bs to stay in UK.

In a statement, she said: "If China imposes this law, we will explore options to allow British Nationals Overseas to apply for leave to stay in UK, including a path to citizenship. We will continue to defend rights and freedoms of people of Hong Kong."

What is B passport?

Hongkongers born before 1997, when British colony was returned to China, are eligible to apply for B passport. Hong Kong has over 300,000 B passport holders who alrey have right to visit UK for up to six months without a visa. Besides, over 2.9 million people are eligible for a B passport, as per British Consulate General in Hong Kong.

A travel document with citizenship rights, a B passport entitles people to some consular assistance outside of Hong Kong and China. Though a B passport allows a person to stay in UK for upto six months, it doesn’t grant permission to work or reside permanently in country. Moreover, status cant be transferred from B passport holders to ir kids. 

Why is UK offering citizenship?

UK believes “China's proposed national security law for Hong Kong is in direct conflict with its obligations under Joint Declaration. If enacted, this law would violate Hong Kong’s automy and freedoms.”

Hong Kong was returned to China with some conditions including region's high level of automy and maintaining certain rights. se rights include freedom of speech. If new plan proposed by China passes as law, it would make it a crime to undermine Beijing's authority in Hong Kong. As many fear that new bill would pose threat to Hong Kong's unique status, it has been facing criticism and condemnation from several countries, including UK.

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After China’s Assembly formally approved a plan to impose controversial national security legislation in Hong Kong, UK stepped in to condemn move. UK threatened to scrap six-month stay limit and proposed to offer citizenship and work to B holders. UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said if China goes on to officially implement law, B passport holders would be allowed to "apply to work and study for extendable periods of 12 months and that will itself provide a pathway to future citizenship".

“If China continues down this path and implements this national security legislation we will change that status, and we will remove that six-month limit and allow those BN(O) passport holders to come to UK and to apply to work and study for extendable periods of 12 months, and that would itself provide a pathway to future citizenship,” Raab said in a statement.

Later Home Office in a blog clarified that rights would cover anyone eligible to apply for a B passport currently living in Hong Kong, of which re are an estimated 2.9 million people. Most of ditional 2.55 million people have held a B passport in past but t renewed it. 

Home Office said move was me because “ new security law will undermine existing legal commitments to protect rights of Hong Kong people.”

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UK, US, Cana and Australia issue joint statement

UK, US, Cana and Australia also issued a joint statement on May 28 criticising security bill. signatories h expressed “deep concern” over security law 

“Direct imposition of national security legislation on Hong Kong by Beijing authorities would dramatically erode Hong Kong’s automy and system that me it so prosperous,” statement re.

“It also raises prospect of prosecution in Hong Kong for political crimes, and undermines existing commitments to protect rights of Hong Kong people,” it ded.

China hits back at UK

After UK’s pledge to offer citizenship, China hit back saying it would violate a memorandum agreed by two countries earlier as per which UK would t give Hong Kong B passport holders right of residency. Cornered on a global level, China warned UK of countermeasures and Foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said UK and China h agreed that holders of B passports should t enjoy UK residency. 

"All such B passport holders are Chinese nationals and if UK insists on changing this practice it will t only violate its own stance but also international law," he ded.

"We urge related countries to respect China's sovereignty (and) stop interfering in Hong Kong's and China's internal affairs," Zhao Lijian said in response to joint statement by countries.

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