UK to provide citizenship 'route' to HK residents
Britain changes its immigration rules and provide millions of individuals in Hong Kong "a path to citizenship" if China imposes new security laws, Boris Johnson has said.
Writing in the days, Mr Johnson said the UK would "haven't any choice" but to uphold its ties with the territory.
China is facing mounting criticism over its planned law.
Many persons in Hong Kong fear it could end their particular freedoms, that your rest of China doesn't have.
The UK has already been in talks with allies including the US and Australia about what to accomplish if China imposes the brand new law - which would make it a crime to undermine Beijing's authority - and persons start fleeing Hong Kong.
In the Times on Wednesday, the prime minister confirmed that if China passes the law, persons in Hong Kong who hold British National (Overseas) passports will be permitted to come to the united kingdom for 12 months with out a visa. Currently they are allowed to come for six months.
Around 350,000 persons in Hong Kong currently curently have a BNO passport, but 2.6 million others are also eligible.
Passport-holders would also get further immigration rights, including the right to work.
This "could place them on a route to citizenship," Mr Johnson said.
'Britain won't walk away'
The prime minister added that the immigration changes "would amount to one of the primary changes inside our visa system in British history".
"If it proves necessary, the British government will need this step and take it willingly.
"Many persons in Hong Kong fear their life-style, which China pledged to uphold, is under threat.
"If China proceeds to justify their fears, then Britain could not in good conscience shrug our shoulders and leave; instead we will honour our obligations and offer an alternative."
Hong Kong is a former British colony. It had been handed back to China from British control in 1997.
Within an agreement signed at that time, it enjoys some freedoms not observed in mainland China - and they are lay out in a mini-constitution called the essential Law.
BNO passports were granted to all or any Hong Kong citizens born prior to the Chinese handover in 1997 and while they permit the holder some protection from the united kingdom foreign service they do not currently give the to live or work in Britain.
There's been widespread international criticism of China's proposed law and the united kingdom government's announcement marks a step up in Britain's opposition to it.
On Tuesday, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said the united kingdom was in talks with countries in the Five Eyes alliance about how precisely to take care of a potential "exodus" of people from the area.
He urged China to reconsider its plans which, he said, would threaten Hong Kong's autonomy and prosperity.
Senior MPs from Britain, Canada, Australia and New Zealand have urged the US to appoint a special envoy to Hong Kong to monitor how the new law influences human rights.
Earlier this week, seven former UK foreign secretaries urged Mr Johnson to create a global alliance to co-ordinate a response.
