London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Monday, Sep 15, 2025

UK would 'have no choice' but to offer path to citizenship to almost 3mn Hong Kongers, PM Johnson said

UK would 'have no choice' but to offer path to citizenship to almost 3mn Hong Kongers, PM Johnson said

If Beijing imposes its new national security law in Hong Kong, Britain will extend a path to citizenship to almost three million eligible residents of the city, Prime Minister Boris Johnson has pledged.
There are some 350,000 people living in Hong Kong who currently hold British National (Overseas) (BN(O)) passports, while some 2.5 million are eligible to get one. The document grants effective permanent residency and the right to work to its holders and "could place them on a route to citizenship," if China delivers on its plan and ramps up security in the autonomous city, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson wrote in the Times on Wednesday.

Britain would "have no choice but to uphold our profound ties of history and friendship with the people of Hong Kong," should Beijing's new national security plan come into force, he said.

BN(O) passports have been issued to permanent residents of the former British colony and their children since 1987, a decade before Hong Kong was transferred back under Beijing's sovereignty. At the moment, it allows visa-free access to Britain for periods of up to six months.

Johnson confirmed what other members of his cabinet, including Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab, already told the public. The prime minister said the planned change would be "one of the biggest changes in our visa system in history."

While the potential number of new citizens suggested by Johnson amounts to almost three million – more than a third of Hong Kong's total population – Raab earlier said the government expected up to several hundred thousand people to take the offer.

Some other top officials said their nations may welcome Hong Kongers, who would choose to leave the city rather than live under new security rules. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said last week that Washington was "considering" welcoming the "entrepreneurial creativity" of Hong Kongers in his country.

Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen said her government would help with the "residence, placement, employment and life" of those Hong Kongers, who would move to the island.

Asked about BN(O) passport holders and their possible exodus to Britain, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said last week that Britain would "breach its own position and pledges as well as international law and basic norms guiding international relations" if it were to boost privileges offered by the document.

"China hopes that the British side will objectively and fairly view the national security legislation for Hong Kong, respect China's position and concerns, refrain from interfering in Hong Kong affairs in any way, and do more to promote Hong Kong's prosperity and stability and China-UK relations," the official said.

The new national security law for Hong Kong, which may come into force in August or September, gives the central government of China more authority to directly deal with terrorism, sedition and other threats in the autonomous city. The legislation comes after months of mass protests and rioting in Hong Kong over what protesters call Beijing's encroaching on their freedoms.

Western nations, including the UK, blamed Beijing for triggering the protests and voiced their support for the demonstrators. China said such statements interfered in its domestic affairs and fanned violence in Hong Kong.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
London Daily Podcast: London Massive Pro Democracy Rally, Musk Support, UK Economic Data and Premier League Results Mark Eventful Weekend
This Week in AI: Meta’s Superintelligence Push, xAI’s Ten Billion-Dollar Raise, Genesis AI’s Robotics Ambitions, Microsoft Restructuring, Amazon’s Million-Robot Milestone, and Google’s AlphaGenome Update
Le Pen Tightens the Pressure on Macron as France Edges Toward Political Breakdown
Musk calls for new UK government at huge pro-democracy rally in London, but Britons have been brainwashed to obey instead of fighting for their human rights
Elon Musk responds to post calling for the murder of Erika Kirk, widow of Charlie Kirk: 'Either we fight back or they will kill us'
Czech Republic signs €1.34 billion contract for Leopard 2A8 main battle tanks with delivery from 2028
USA: Office Depot Employees Refused to Print Poster in Memory of Charlie Kirk – and Were Fired
Proposed U.S. Bill Would Allow Civil Suits Against Judges Who Release Repeat Violent Offenders
Penske Media Sues Google Over “AI Overviews,” Claiming It Uses Journalism Without Consent and Destroys Traffic
Indian Student Engineers Propose “Project REBIRTH” to Protect Aircraft from Crashes Using AI, Airbags and Smart Materials
French Debt Downgrade Piles Pressure on Macron’s New Prime Minister
US and UK Near Tech, Nuclear and Whisky Deals Ahead of Trump Trip
One in Three Europeans Now Uses TikTok, According to the Chinese Tech Giant
Could AI Nursing Robots Help Healthcare Staffing Shortages?
NATO Deploys ‘Eastern Sentry’ After Russian Drones Violate Polish Airspace
Anesthesiologist Left Operation Mid-Surgery to Have Sex with Nurse
Tens of Thousands of Young Chinese Get Up Every Morning and Go to Work Where They Do Nothing
The New Life of Novak Djokovic
The German Owner of Politico Mathias Döpfner Eyes Further U.S. Media Expansion After Axel Springer Restructuring
Suspect Arrested: Utah Man in Custody for Charlie Kirk’s Fatal Shooting
In a politically motivated trial: Bolsonaro Sentenced to 27 Years for Plotting Coup After 2022 Defeat
German police raid AfD lawmaker’s offices in inquiry over Chinese payments
Turkish authorities seize leading broadcaster amid fraud and tax investigation
Volkswagen launches aggressive strategy to fend off Chinese challenge in Europe’s EV market
ChatGPT CEO signals policy to alert authorities over suicidal youth after teen’s death
The British legal mafia hit back: Banksy mural of judge beating protester is scrubbed from London court
Surpassing Musk: Larry Ellison becomes the richest man in the world
Embarrassment for Starmer: He fired the ambassador photographed on Epstein’s 'pedophile island'
Manhunt after 'skilled sniper' shot Charlie Kirk. Footage: Suspect running on rooftop during panic
Effective Protest Results: Nepal’s Prime Minister Resigns as Youth-Led Unrest Shakes the Nation
Qatari prime minister says Netanyahu ‘killed any hope’ for Israeli hostages
King Charles and Prince Harry Share First In-Person Moment in 19 Months
Starmer Establishes Economic ‘Budget Board’ to Centralise Policy and Rebuild Business Trust
France Erupts in Mass ‘Block Everything’ Protests on New PM’s First Day
Poland Shoots Down Russian Drones in Airspace Violation During Ukraine Attack
Brazilian police say ex-President Bolsonaro had planned to flee to Argentina seeking asylum
Trinidad Leader Applauds U.S. Naval Strike and Advocates Forceful Action Against Traffickers
Kim Jong Un Oversees Final Test of New High-Thrust Solid-Fuel Rocket Engine
Apple Introduces Ultra-Thin iPhone Air, Enhanced 17 Series and New Health-Focused Wearables
Macron Appoints Sébastien Lecornu as Prime Minister Amid Budget Crisis and Political Turmoil
Supreme Court temporarily allows Trump to pause billions in foreign aid
Charlie Sheen says his father, Martin Sheen, turned him in to the police: 'The greatest betrayal possible'
Vatican hosts first Catholic LGBTQ pilgrimage
Apple Unveils iPhone 17 Series, iPhone Air, Apple Watch 11 and More at 'Awe Dropping' Event
Pig Heads Left Outside Multiple Paris Mosques in Outrage-Inducing Acts
Nvidia’s ‘Wow’ Factor Is Fading. The AI chip giant used to beat Wall Street expectations for earnings by a substantial margin. That trajectory is coming down to earth.
France joins Eurozone’s ‘periphery’ as turmoil deepens, say investors
On the Anniversary of Queen Elizabeth’s Death: Prince Harry Returns to Britain
France Faces New Political Crisis, again, as Prime Minister Bayrou Pushed Out
Murdoch Family Finalises $3.3 Billion Succession Pact, Ensuring Eldest Son’s Leadership
×