What has happened to UK-China relations?

How have the two nations reached this point and what role has Hong Kong played in the process?

Q What is Britain’s link to Hong Kong?

A Hong Kong island was ceded to Britain after China’s defeat in the First Opium War in the 19th Century, with China later leasing the New Territories, which forms Hong Kong’s rural areas, to Britain for 99 years in 1898.

The Sino-British Joint Declaration was signed in 1984, in which Britain agreed to return Hong Kong to China in 1997. It became a Special Administrative Region of China run under the “one country, two systems” principle. Hong Kong was to have its own government and legislature composed of Hong Kong people, while its capitalist system, currency and financial markets were to remain intact.

Q What has happened since?

A Critics have long accused China of eroding Hong Kong’s special status, and pro-democracy protesters took to the streets of Hong Kong last year in response to Beijing’s tightening grip on the territory. Hong Kong’s legislature has now passed a controversial, Beijing-backed national security law which makes activities deemed subversive or secessionist punishable by imprisonment, and which is seen as targeting anti-government demonstrators.

Q How did the UK respond?

A Boris Johnson told MPs the law “violates Hong Kong’s high degree of autonomy and is in direct conflict with Hong Kong Basic Law”.

He vowed to introduce a new route for people in Hong Kong with British National (Overseas) status to apply for visas to live and work in the UK and apply for citizenship.

Q How does Huawei fit in?

A The prime minister ordered telecoms firms to remove Huawei equipment from the 5G network by 2027 after a government-ordered review found the security of Huawei’s equipment could not be guaranteed because of US sanctions.

Q How did China respond?

A Beijing accused Britain of working with the US to “discriminate, oppress and exclude” Chinese firms and warned of jeopardised relations.

In London, China’s UK ambassador Liu Xiaoming claimed Britain was behaving like a “junior partner” of the US. He suggested ministers imposed the ban because they “had to succumb to pressure” from “China hawks and China-bashers”.

Q Has this involved any other firms?

A Reports said Chinese social media company TikTok had broken off talks to open a global headquarters in Britain.

Q What happens next?

A Mr Liu warned it would be “totally wrong” for Britain to issue sanctions but said Beijing was ready to respond in kind.

Secondary students hold up their smartphone lights during a protest in Hong Kong in September.