Canada ‘feels a chill’ in Hong Kong, but has no plans to create new asylum pathways for those who flee, says envoy

Beijing’s grip leaves some city politicians reluctant to engage consulate, Canadian expats worry too

‘A lot of interest’ in Canada’s new work visa for Hong Kong graduates, envoy expects numbers to rise

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Existing asylum routes in Canada for Hongkongers looking to leave are sufficient, according to the country’s consul general in the city. Photo: AP

Published: 8:00am, 10 May 2021Updated: 8:27am, 10 May 2021

Canada is not planning new pathways to asylum for Hongkongers who flee the city, as it has well-developed processes to deal with those claiming political persecution, according to the country’s top local diplomat.

Jeff Nankivell, the outgoing consul general to Hong Kong and Macau, also told the Post in a farewell interview that the consulate’s work had been affected by the national security law imposed on the city by Beijing last June.

Some Hong Kong politicians had become reluctant to engage with his office since the law was introduced, banning acts of secession, subversion, terrorism and collusion with foreign forces.

The 300,000-strong Canadian community in the city also had concerns about whether the law would affect them, he said, especially with the ongoing case of two Canadians detained in mainland China on spying charges.

However, veteran diplomat Nankivell, his country’s envoy to the city since 2016, added that he did not see any exodus of Canadians, one of the largest groups of expatriates in Hong Kong.

Canada, like Britain, Australia and other Western countries, has been highly critical of the national security law and Beijing’s tightening grip over Hong Kong, including its recent overhaul of the city’s electoral system.

Last November, Canada made it easier for Hongkongers to move there, with new visa rules that allow Hong Kong graduates of universities outside Canada to apply for a three-year work permit.