Johnson pledges to give Hong Kong citizens UK rights after China’s ‘breach’

Updated

Boris Johnson has pledged to extend the right of Hong Kong citizens to live and work in the UK after accusing China of a "clear and serious breach" of a treaty with Britain.

The Prime Minister on Wednesday accused Beijing of violating the former British colony's degree of autonomy by imposing a much-criticised national security law on the territory.

He told MPs he would introduce a new route for those with British national (overseas) status to live and work in the UK and apply for citizenship, which could potentially extend the right for nearly three million people.

Mr Johnson followed Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab in accusing China of breaching the treaty that aimed to smooth the transition when the territory was handed back to China in 1997.

Taking effect on Tuesday night, the security law makes activities deemed subversive or secessionist punishable by imprisonment, and is seen as targeting anti-government demonstrators.

During Prime Minister's Questions, Mr Johnson told the Commons: "The enactment and imposition of this national security law constitutes a clear and serious breach of the Sino-British Joint Declaration.

"It violates Hong Kong's high degree of autonomy and is in direct conflict with Hong Kong Basic Law.

"We made clear that if China continues down this path we 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 thereafter to apply for citizenship – and that is precisely what we will do."

Mr Johnson's commitment came after Hong Kong police made their first arrests under the new law, including one person said to have displayed a sign with the Union flag which called for Hong Kong's independence.

In a statement outside the Foreign Office, Mr Raab accused China of not "living up to its promises" over the freedom for people to peacefully protest in Hong Kong, adding: "We will live up to our promises to them."

More than 70 arrests were made in Hong Kong on Wednesday, which marked 23 years since the handover.

The PM had warned that if Beijing enacted the law he would upgrade the status of British national (overseas) passports held by 350,000 people in Hong Kong, with a further 2.5 million eligible to apply.

He previously said the nationals would be granted immigration rights beyond the current six-month limit.

Mr Johnson is under pressure from across the political spectrum to take a firmer stance against Beijing, including over the role of Chinese firm Huawei in the UK's 5G network.

He was also facing calls to act over the breach of the 1985 Sino-British Joint Declaration, the legally binding agreement to give Hong Kong a level of autonomy for at least 50 years.

Ahead of the PM's commitment, Labour's shadow foreign secretary Lisa Nandy called on the Government to "lay out the concrete steps" to fulfil its commitments to the people of Hong Kong.

"Now is not the moment to look away," she said.

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