By Alan Leung, Blogger specialized in current affairs
The Chinese foreign ministry announced Beijing's decision to stop recognizing British National (Overseas) (BN(O)) passports as a travel and identification document from Sunday at a regular briefing in the capital last Friday, and the ministry reserved the right to take further actions in response to Britain's decision to introduce a new visa, which will officially launch at 5 p.m. on Sunday, supposedly offering a pathway to citizenship for Hong Kong's BN(O) holders.
The first official Chinese move over the issue was more of a political statement, as Hongkongers do not need BN(O) to travel in and out of the city or the country, but a clear signal Beijing is ready to gradually take tougher action, which may includes BN(O) holders losing their right of abode in Hong Kong and Chinese citizenship, if the British decides to continue violating China's sovereignty, interfering with China's internal affairs and breaching the Sino-British Joint Declaration.
While the British Government claims the new special visa was a response to Beijing's implementation of the national security law in Hong Kong, which they claimed was a violation of the Joint Declaration, an estimate of 5.4 million people (72% of the population) in its former colony will be eligible for British citizenship after living in the UK for six years. They also claimed the move was to show their commitment to uphold the Sino-British Joint Declaration, and to stand up for the city's freedom and autonomy.
The national security law that was implemented in Hong Kong by Beijing last year didn't violate the Basic Law or the Joint Declaration, because it was listed under Annex III and promulgated by the city's Chief Executive as stipulated under Article 18 of the Basic Law. The law has also been limited to only cover foreign relations, defense and security affairs in compliance with the article, therefore it doesn't have the jurisdiction nor power to curtail the city's "freedom".
In addition, when we consider the city's state of chaos and the long duration of unrest at the time, compared with the international norm for declaring state of emergency and uses of military assets during such chaos or unrest as we have seen during the BLM protest and the recent storming of Capitol Hill in the US, Beijing has every right to declare a state of emergency and directly apply the national security law in Hong Kong as stipulated under Article 18, and authorize the used of the garrison in Hong Kong to bring back order and peace, but chose not to do so.
Whereas, the British not only failed to apply any kind of pressure on Hong Kong for over 23 years when the city failed to fulfill its constitutional obligation to enact Article 23 as required under the basic law, which would've eliminated the need for Beijing's intervention, but constantly applied pressure on Beijing every time they demanded Hong Kong to comply with the Basic Law. It's important to note that under the Joint Declaration, Hong Kong is required to strictly comply with the Basic Law.
The BN(O) passport was also stipulated to only be a travel document that will not be entitled to British citizenship, under a British Government issued memorandum attached to the Sino-British Joint Declaration when it was signed. Therefore the new visa which suddenly changed the status quo and offered a direct pathway for BN(O) holders and their family to British citizenship has again violated the Sino-British Joint declaration.
Facts have clearly proven that the British had not only failed its obligation and commitment to uphold the Sino-British Joint Declaration, but outright breached the agreement while openly and deliberately distorting the truth. Which country in the world will allow selective enforcement of agreement clauses? What right does a country that failed to uphold an agreement for over 23 years have to speak out? How could any government be so shameless to openly distort the truth?
Nonetheless, it's even more important to realize that the new BN(O) visa scheme is nothing more than a hyped up perfidious Albion and carefully packaged scam to rob Hongkongers' wealth and the city's elites, because while there are no job, skill or language requirements aside from showing proof of identity, BN(O) status, current residency in Hong Kong and proof that they can financially support themselves and their family members in the UK for at least six months, to apply for the visa.
However, applicants and their family are required to live in the UK for five years without eligibility for any social security benefits. Thus, how many can survive in the UK for five years when we take into consideration the high cost of living, English-language skills, that many in Hong Kong doesn't have, required to find a decent job, the current economic situation, immigration Health surcharge for access to NHS services, and higher income taxes rate and wealth taxes in the UK?
At the end of the day, those who applied for the visa and survive in the UK under these conditions for five years, successfully pass the application for settlement and gain British citizenship are either the elites who manage to find decent jobs or the wealthy that can financially support themselves with their deep pockets. There is also risk that the British Government may change the laws, policies and requirements of the application for settlement at any time over the five years.
Thus, the majority of the applicants will be forced to return to Hong Kong in shame, if the laws haven't been changed and the city still accepts them, after they can no longer financially support themselves or they fail the English requirements within the application for settlement. By then they will realize they lost their home, businesses, decent jobs due to the gaps in employment and time away from the local industry, and their life savings, which will mean they will need to start from zero again.
The new visa is simply a carefully designed and packaged scam to steal Hongkongers' wealth, as it will force applicants to leave after their wealth has been transferred and spent in the UK, and is no longer useful. The British will never allow such a large number of new immigrants because the BN(O) was created to prevent an influx of Hongkongers to the UK before the handover in 1997 and the influx of immigrants was one of the major reasons the British voted in favor of Brexit.
Therefore, any Hongkongers who decide to take up the visa scam are putting themselves and their families at risk of not only losing their lifesaving, career and future but the risk and nightmare of becoming stateless, if Beijing are forced to take additional action. Let's see how many Hongkongers are stupid enough to walk into the scam and it may not be a bad thing for these to leave Hong Kong forever, because their return will only increase the burden of the city's already overstretched social benefit and public housing system.
The views do not necessarily reflect those of DotDotNews.
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