China to stop recognizing special U.K. passports for Hong Kongers
TAIPEI, Taiwan — China on Friday accused Britain of turning Hong Kong residents into “second-rate” citizens as the country prepares to welcome tens of thousands of people fleeing Beijing’s crackdown in the Asian financial center.
In a gesture set to inflame tensions between China and the United Kingdom, Beijing said that starting Sunday it would no longer recognize British National (Overseas), or BN(O) passports — a type of British nationality granted to residents of the former colony born before its 1997 handover to Chinese control.
Britain on Sunday begins accepting applications for a program that expands the rights of BN(O) holders, allowing them and their families to live and work in Britain and eventually seek citizenship. Some 5.4 million of Hong Kong’s 7.5 million people are eligible, raising the prospect of a mass exodus.
Britain moved to open its doors after China imposed a sweeping national security law on Hong Kong, sharply curtailing political rights, which London said was a clear breach of the handover agreement. Human rights advocates say authorities are using the new powers to target democracy activists and government critics.
On Friday, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he was “immensely proud” of his country’s “commitment to the people of Hong Kong.”
“We have stood up for freedom and autonomy — values both the U.K. and Hong Kong hold dear,” he said.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian responded by saying China would no longer recognize the BN(O) as a travel document or proof of identification — a step it has been threatening for months. Criticizing Britain for “disregarding the fact that Hong Kong has been returned to China for 24 years,” Mr. Zhao said Beijing reserved the right to take further action.
“The U.K. is plotting to turn a large number of Hong Kong people into second-rate U.K. citizens,” he said, accusing Mr. Johnson’s government of “violently” interfering in China’s affairs.
In a statement following Mr. Zhao’s comments, the Hong Kong government said the BN(O) passports, as of Jan. 31, cannot be used for immigration clearance and will not be recognized as a valid document in the territory.
While the comments were among China’s harshest against Britain, it was unclear how much effect the change would have or whether it could be used to stop Hong Kong residents from fleeing. Residents can leave Hong Kong with a government-issued identity card or Hong Kong passport and later use the BN(O) document to enter the United Kingdom.
The Hong Kong government clarified Friday that there will be no change to the ID card or Hong Kong passport, and that residents can continue to use them when entering or departing the territory. Airlines, the government added, must require Hong Kong residents to present passports or Hong Kong identity cards before allowing them to board. The “very few” Hong Kong permanent residents who have only the BN(O) passport, the government added, can apply for a Hong Kong passport for travel.
Activists helping Hong Kongers settle in Britain saw Beijing’s move as largely symbolic, noting that it would be difficult for Chinese authorities to know who had settled in the United Kingdom through the BN(O) program.
“Not recognizing the BN(O) as a valid travel document is the mildest action Beijing can take, so it is well expected and even a relief,” said Simon Cheng, who was granted asylum in Britain last year and now helps newly arrived Hong Kongers with immigration advice, legal aid and other assistance. Mr. Cheng, a former British consulate worker, was snatched and detained in China during a business trip there in 2019 and said he was tortured.