China lashes out at Five Eyes nations as Britain and Australia offer to help Hongkongers

Name: UK offers Hongkongers with BN(O) passports path to citizenship after new national security law
Uploaded: 2020-07-02T14:01:58.000Z
Duration: 1 min 38 s
Description: UK offers Hongkongers with BN(O) passports path to citizenship after new national security law

BN(O) passports and possible arrangement by Canberra offer safe havens after Beijing enacts controversial national security law

Passport applicants in Hong Kong keen to have an escape route but wary of the difficulties in settling elsewhere

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About 2.9 million Hongkongers are eligible for British National (Overseas) status. Photo: Nora Tam

Holly Chik

Published: 10:01pm, 2 Jul 2020Updated: 3:46pm, 4 Jul 2020

China’s clash with the Five Eyes intelligence alliance has deepened following moves by Britain and Australia to potentially provide safe havens to Hongkongers who wish to leave the city, as a new national security law took effect there after a year of anti-government protests.

The Chinese foreign ministry called on Britain and Australia to “remedy their mistake” following their announcements of potential help for Hong Kong citizens, and hit back at the United States and New Zealand over their bills and remarks about the security law, adopted in Hong Kong on Tuesday.

“Compare the security of Hong Kong with our relations with other countries; it is clear at a glance which one is more important,” ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said.

Zhao warned that China would take countermeasures against Britain, accusing its government of violating the 1984 Sino-British Joint Declaration by offering residency rights and a path to citizenship to Hongkongers, and called on Australia not to “go further down the wrong path”.

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UK offers Hongkongers with BN(O) passports path to citizenship after new national security law

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Thursday that the situation in Hong Kong was “very concerning” and his government was “very actively” considering proposals to welcome in residents of the former British colony.