UK ROUTE OPEN
British PM Boris Johnson on Wednesday held China in "clear and serious breach” of the Sino-British agreement under which Hong Kong had been handed over to the Chinese authorities. He also said he would offer millions of Hong Kong residents visas and a possible route to UK citizenship if China persists with its national security law. About 3,50,000 people in Hong Kong currently hold British National (Overseas) passports, which allow visa-free access to Britain for up to six months. Another 2.5 million people would be eligible to apply for one. “If China imposes its national security law, the British government will change its immigration rules and allow any holder of these passports from Hong Kong to come to the U.K. for a renewable period of 12 months and be given further immigration rights, including the right to work, which could place them on a route to citizenship,” he wrote in an article.
US: CHINA CAN’T GOBBLE UP HK
The US has warned China that it will not stand idle while it "swallows" Hong Kong into its "authoritarian maw," a day after Beijing imposed a "draconian" national security law in the former British territory. In a strongly-worded statement, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said it was a "sad day" for the people in Hong Kong and warned China of new countermeasures, including ending defence and dual-use technology exports to the territory.
TAIWAN MIGRATION REBUKE TO BEIJING
Taiwan on Wednesday opened an office to facilitate migration of professionals from Hong Kong, especially those seeking to move to the island for a range of purposes, including education and business. Taiwan is a self-governing democracy claimed by China as its own territory and has firmly rejected Beijing's demand that it unify with the mainland under the “one country, two systems” framework in place in Hong Kong.
