One million Hong Kongers escaped?… “Huan Muqi” kicks off after opening the door to immigration in England

Hong Kong Special Administrative Region passport (left) and British overseas citizen (BNO) passport (right). [AP=연합뉴스]

“It is a logic of inexorable robbery that glorifies the history of aggression and colonial rule.”

On the 31st of last month, the Hong Kong and Macau offices of the State Council of China poured out close accusations against the UK. In a protest statement issued after the British government expanded the opportunities for Hong Kongers to receive British citizenship. The UK announced a policy to expand immigration, saying that the liberty of Hong Kongers was violated after China implemented the Hong Kong National Security Law last year.

The UK government opened an internet site and started accepting applications for long-stay visas for British National Overseas (BNO) passport holders and their families in Hong Kong from 5 pm (6 pm KST) on the 31st. BNO holders in Hong Kong are citizens born before 1997 when Hong Kong was returned to China, estimated at 5.4 million, or 72% of the 7.5 million population in Hong Kong. Shortly after the site was opened, British Interior Minister Pretty Patel announced a new BNO policy on Twitter, saying, “Today is a proud day when the UK has brightened the historic relationship promised to Hong Kongers.

British Interior Minister Pretty Patel showed off his new BNO policy on his Twitter on the 31st of last month, saying, “Today is a proud day of the historic relationship the British promised Hong Kongers.” [트위터 캡처]

British criticism statement posted on the website of the Hong Kong and Macau Office of the State Council of China on the 31st of last month. “It is the logic of unreasonable robbery that brightly glorifies the history of aggression and colonial rule,” he strongly criticized Britain.

Hong Kong citizens are on the lookout. Hong Kong Myungbo said that there was no bottleneck in which applicants were crowded at the same time on the internet on the 1st. Until the 23rd of this month, when the one-stop smartphone app is released, the need to visit the UK visa center in Hong Kong and leave fingerprints also affected. Sam Lau, an investment banker in Hong Kong, told South China Morning Post (SCMP) that “I plan to leave Hong Kong in March, but I plan to apply when the mobile app is released.” Another Hong Kong citizen feared retaliation from the authorities, saying, “I am not sure that there are no surveillance cameras outside the visa center.”

To apply for a BNO visa, you must be a British Overseas Citizen (BNO) holder and a family member who has the economics to live in the UK for at least 6 months and does not have a serious criminal record. According to reporter Myung-bo, who demonstrated the BNO visa application, the application must be accepted if he or she is involved in a crime related to war, crimes against humanity or genocide, or is asked whether it is against democracy and the rule of law. The more than 100 questions asked by applicants included support for terrorism and extremism, as well as whether they were engaged in work that harmed Britain’s national security and interests. Application fee of 2656 Hong Kong dollars (383,000 won) and 33,000 Hong Kong dollars (476 million won) of the Ministry of Health must be paid to complete the application.

China immediately protested. Zhonglian Pan (Central People’s Government Liaison Office in Hong Kong) and Hong Kong-Macao Pan Office each issued a statement and condemned the UK. The statement noted that “China and the UK exchanged memorandums on the issue of British Overseas Citizens (BNO) passports prior to return to Hong Kong, and the UK made a clear commitment not to grant British residence to Hong Kongers holding BNOs.” He added, “Since last year, the UK has distorted the meaning of the BNO by preventing China from enacting and enforcing the Hong Kong National Security Law as much as possible.”

China suspended the validity of BNO’s identification card from the 31st, adding that “reserving the right to take further retaliation”. From this day on, the BNO passport in Hong Kong has been lost. Hong Kongers are looking for a detour to enter the UK with a BNO passport after leaving Hong Kong with their Hong Kong ID card, the Bin Fruit Daily reported the day before.

Over the next five years, from 320,000 Hong Kongers to 1 million people will use BNO to escape to the UK, SCMP predicts. A Hong Konger said, “BNO is a lifeboat for Hong Kongers.” “Many Hong Kongers are worried that China will block the immigration of Hong Kongers altogether. So it’s better to leave as soon as possible.”

In particular, 29% of Hong Kong youth are planning to immigrate. This is the result of a survey conducted by the Hong Kong Youth Association on 525 young adults aged 18 to 34 from December 8 to 13 last year. Young people cited the Hong Kong National Security Act (51%), disappointment with the government (49%), and severe social disruption (31%) as the three main reasons for planning immigration.

Beijing = correspondent Shin Kyungjin [email protected]