China warns the UK ‘had better ask its people if they agree to let 3million Hong Kong people in’

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China has demanded Downing Street ask the British people if they would welcome three million Hong Kong immigrants before allowing some citizens from the former colony to work and settle in the UK.

The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs called on No. 10 to ‘think twice’ before making a final call on an offer to help British National Overseas (BNO) passport holders relocate from the Far East.

Boris Johnson last week unveiled firm plans for the country to take in up to three million Hong Kong residents in defiance of China’s draconian new clampdown on Hong Kong protesters. 

Zhao Lijian, a spokesperson from the Chinese foreign ministry, said at a press briefing today that the UK had better think twice and seek opinions from the British people.

He stated: ‘According to public reports, around three million Chinese citizens possess or can apply for a BNO passport.’

He then warned: ‘Before the British side makes a decision, it had better think – if all of these people arrive in the UK, they will enjoy equal rights to the British citizens in work, medical resources and social welfare.

‘Before it makes a final decision, the British government had better seek opinions from the British people, and find out what they think.’  

It remains unclear whether or not BNO passport holders from Hong Kong would be able to resort to public funds or the NHS without restrictions should the Government give the green light to the proposal.

‘Hundreds of thousands of people’ from Hong Kong might take advantage of the scheme and come to the UK, said a former British consulate worker who alleged to have been tortured in China. 

Simon Cheng is the first person to have been granted political asylum by the Home Office in response to China’s crackdown on the Hong Kong anti-government movement after he was allegedly shackled, beaten, forced to stand for long hours in secret detention in the Chinese city of Shenzhen.

Mr Cheng, a British overseas national, announced last Wednesday that his immigration application had been approved by the British government, possibly heralding a new wave of immigrants from the Asian financial hub.

A London-based Hong Kong student said she was keen to take up the Government’s offer after China launched a brutal crackdown on the city’s pro-democracy protesters with its new national security law.

Eunice Wong, who has just finished her Master’s degree in the UK, said the so-called ‘lifeboat’ scheme was ‘the only option’ for her because it would no longer be safe for her to go back home. 

‘This lifeboat scheme will help these British Nationals and their dependents to come to the UK if they need to. 

‘BNOs are given the chance to work and contribute into society and work towards citizenship which was previously restricted with visas,’ Ms Wong told MailOnline. 

The Imperial College London graduate, who is in her 20s, said that because she had spoken to media in the UK, she would be deemed an offender of the security law and persecuted by Hong Kong authorities. 

But she noted that it was hard to estimate how many people in Hong Kong would move to the UK through the route at present.

‘It depends on the details released from the Home Office [before we can make] such a big decision, as Hong Kong is where our roots are and leaving our home is a big change,’ she added.

‘Furthermore, there is no access to public funds so BNOs who come will have to be financially well off in order to support themselves and are able to come and get a job.

‘Some people who are eligible for a BNO might already have a different nationality, therefore, they might not want to come to the UK.’  

Thousands of Hong Kong citizens have already expressed their desire to move to Britain on social media platforms.

A Facebook group named the ‘Official Group for BNO Equality Movement’ has seen nearly 3,000 new members in the past month.

Numerous Hong Kong websites have published articles explaining the process of applying for a BNO, including one titled ‘Things you must know before immigration’.

Hong Kongers have also flocked to voice their plan to escape to the UK on Twitter.

One wrote: ‘Unlike most Chinese, we will contribute and maintain the value of freedom and democracy in UK.’ 

As of February, there were nearly 350,000 BNO passport holders, while the Government estimates there are around 2.9million people in Hong Kong who are eligible for the passport. 

British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab told MPs last week the ‘bespoke’ new arrangement to be implemented in the coming months would grant BNOs five years’ limited leave to remain in the UK with the ability to live and work.

They would then be eligible to apply for settled status and would be able to apply for citizenship after 12 months with that status. 

However, the Foreign Secretary later said ‘only a proportion’ would be likely to take up the new status.

He also said that if Beijing tried to stop people with British National (Overseas) status from leaving Hong Kong, there would be little that could be done by the UK. 

In response, China threatened to punish Britain for extending the offer and warned that the UK would ‘bear the consequences’. 

Hours after Britain accused China of manoeuvring to ‘strangle’ Hong Kong’s freedoms with a ‘grave and deeply disturbing’ new security law, Beijing’s embassy in London called the offer a breach of international law and warned: ‘We firmly oppose this and reserve the right to take corresponding measures.’  

Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian told reporters that ‘the UK should bear any consequences caused by this… Hong Kong matters are China’s domestic affairs, and no countries have any right to intervene.’  

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