[Asia Economy Reporter Jeong Hyunjin] The UK government has announced that if China does not halt its push for the Hong Kong National Security Law (Hong Kong Security Law), it will extend the visa-free visit period for Hong Kong residents holding British National (Overseas) passports and open a path to citizenship.
On the 28th (local time), according to the daily newspaper The Guardian and others, Dominic Raab, the UK Foreign Secretary, expressed his intention to extend the visa-free visit period for Hong Kong residents holding British National (Overseas) passports (BNO), which is currently six months, to 12 months. The Guardian reported that this proposal aligns with the views of Home Secretary Priti Patel and the Prime Minister's Office, but further details need to be specified.
The BNO passport was issued to Hong Kong residents before the UK handed Hong Kong over to China in 1997, and currently about 315,000 people hold it. Holders of this passport are not UK citizens but are granted the right to stay in the UK for six months. The 1984 Sino-British Joint Declaration, signed by the UK and China, contains the basic principle of "one country, two systems," stipulating that Hong Kong's current system should be basically maintained for 50 years after the 1997 handover to China.
Regarding this proposal, Secretary Raab said it depends on how China proceeds with the security law in the future, stating, "If China continues down this path and enacts the security law, we will change the status (the BNO visa-free visit period)." He added, "We can lift the six-month limit and extend the period to 12 months so that BNO passport holders can come to the UK to apply for jobs and study, and this will provide a path to future citizenship."
Within the UK, some voices have called for automatic citizenship for those holding BNO passports. Tom Tugendhat, Chair of the UK House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee, emphasized, "We need to go further and recognize the full rights of British nationals." On the other hand, some point out that complex immigration law issues need to be reviewed.
Meanwhile, on the same day, the UK, along with the US, Canada, Australia, and others, issued a joint statement by foreign and state ministers expressing "great concern" over China's decision to introduce the Hong Kong Security Law. They stated, "Hong Kong has prospered as a bastion of freedom," and pointed out, "The Hong Kong Security Law will curtail the freedoms of Hong Kong citizens and rapidly weaken the autonomy and system that have allowed Hong Kong to thrive."
They also expressed concern that the Hong Kong Security Law could exacerbate the deep divisions already existing within Hong Kong society. They urged, "The Chinese government must comply with its international obligations under the Joint Declaration and strive to find a mutually acceptable agreement with the Hong Kong government and its citizens."
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