About three of the 7.5 million inhabitants of the former British colony will be able to apply for a special passport and benefit from the new program to leave the metropolis.
“We were very clear when we told China that if it continued on this path, we would introduce a new way of entering the UK for those who have the status of british abroad, giving them permission to live and work in the UK and then apply for citizenship, “Johnson recalled this afternoon at the House of Commons in London.
“And that is exactly what we are going to do now!” He announced.
British Foreign Minister Dominic Raab informed Members present that citizens covered by the measure, known as BNO, would be allowed to stay in the country for five years, under a specific immigration plan.
Boris Johnson’s announcement marked the parliamentary hearing for the prime minister on Wednesday.
The conservative leader explicitly condemned the new national security law imposed by Beijing and which justifies the safe conduct offered by London.
“It violates Hong Kong’s high level of autonomy and is in direct conflict with Hong Kong’s basic legislation. The law also threatens freedoms and rights protected by the joint declaration” British-British, denounced Johnson.
The prime minister referred to the agreements established in 1997, in the British return of control of the territory to China after almost 200 years of government, which enshrined the region’s autonomy vis-à-vis Beijing.
Taiwan has also opened an office designed to welcome Hong Kong residents who wish to settle on the island.
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“Sword over the head”
The national security law developed by Beijing came into force on Tuesday at 3 pm local time, just over a year after the start of demonstrations that took millions of people to the streets, in protest against the growing influence of the Chinese central government. The new legislation provides for a 10-year life sentence for four types of crimes that it considers serious: subversion, separatism, terrorism and collusion against foreign forces. In other cases, such as contestation, division or insubordination, it recognizes the competence of Chinese justice.
The start of law enforcement and Johnson’s announcement coincided with the 23rd anniversary of the Hong Kong transfer from British to Chinese sovereignty.
The Chinese government says the law will be “a sword over the head” of “members of the small minority that threatens national security”. Carrie Lam, leader of the Hong Kong executive and loyal to Beijing, hailed it as “the most important event in relations between the central government and Hong Kong since the retrocession”.
“This marks the end of Hong Kong as we knew it,” reacted on Twitter, one of the leading figures in the metropolis’ pro-democracy movement, Joshua Wong. “The city is going to become a # state police station”, he added.
The United States has threatened China with reprisals and has promised that it will not “sit idly by.” The 27 members of the UN Human Rights Council, however, condemned the text of the law, and expressed fears that it would lead to the repression of all political opposition.
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