John Baron MP welcomes Government’s statement on Hong Kong

MP says citizenship offer keeps historic commitments to Hongkongers

Today the Foreign Secretary, Rt Hon Dominic Raab MP, gave a Statement following the Chinese Government’s implementation of its new security law, which breaches the 1985 Sino-British Joint Declaration. This legally-binding treaty, lodged with the United Nations, was signed by the UK and China and guarantees Hong Kong’s rights and freedoms until at least 2047 – 50 years after the handover to China.

In his Statement, the Foreign Secretary announced the Government would offer holders of British National (Overseas) passports a route out of Hong Kong. They will be eligible to come to the UK for five years, during which they will be able to work, and, after a further year, they will be able to apply for British citizenship. There are about 350,000 BNO passport-holders in Hong Kong, with about 2.6 million others eligible.

John said,

“I welcome the Government’s announcement today on Hong Kong, though it is sad that it has come to this. The Chinese Government undertook to protect Hong Kong’s autonomy and its longstanding rights and freedoms for at least fifty years after 1997, and it is deeply regrettable that it has chosen to set aside its legal and moral obligations. Other countries may understandably be looking nervously at the agreements they have signed with the Chinese Government over the years.”

“The Government is quite right to recognise its obligations and historic commitments to Hongkongers, and I fully support the rights of BNO passport-holders to come to the UK to live and work and, in due course should they wish, become British citizens. This is not just the right thing to do, but also to Britain’s benefit. If Hongkongers wish to come to Britain, they will find a warm welcome.”

Notes to Editors:

• John Baron MP was a member of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee from 2010 – 2017.