Hundreds set to leave for Britain as China tightens grip on province

HUNDREDS of Hong Kong’s beleaguered citizens are already preparing to quit the province and flee to Britain and the West in the face of growing Chinese repression.

Many of its 350,000 British National (Overseas) passport holders are thought to be considering requesting asylum after the imposition of controversial national security legislation tightened China’s grip on Hong Kong.

Dominic Raab, the Foreign Secretary, signalled on Thursday that the Government will make it easier for them to work in the UK and become British citizens if they flee the region.

That has been welcomed by democracy activists and BNO passport holders as a possible means of escape if China continues to undermine the principles of “two countries, one system” and threaten human rights.

Mike Pompeo, the US secretary of state, accused the Chinese Communist Party of “crushing what made Hong Kong different from the rest of China” and endorsed president Trump’s decision to revoke Hong Kong’s special treatment as a separate trade and customs territory from the rest of China, which had helped it to flourish as a global financial centre.

His comments came after the mouthpiece newspaper of China’s ruling Communist Party said yesterday that the US decision to end some trading privileges “grossly interferes” in China’s internal affairs and is “doomed to fail.” An editorial in People’s Daily said that attempts at “forcing China to make concessions on core interests including sovereignty and security through blackmailing or coercion … can only be wishful thinking and daydreaming!”

BNO passports were issued to people in Hong Kong born before the 1997 handover to China, but holders can only visit Britain for up to six months.

Home Office figures show 2.9million are eligible for the status, though only 349,881 hold valid passports.

Charlotte Chan, 23, a bank worker, said: “The policy allows me to think about migrating to other countries if things in Hong Kong get out of control.