China considers not to recognize BNO as a valid travel document

The Hong Kong Government: Will fully cooperate with

the British arrangement is a hypocritical move

The United Kingdom announced yesterday the details of Hong Kong residents emigrating to the United Kingdom. Starting from January next year, Hong Kong residents with BNO (British National (Overseas) Passport) qualifications will be allowed to apply for staying in the UK for 5 years, after which they can apply for settlement in the UK. Following the announcement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China today (23) that it will consider not recognizing the BNO passport as a valid travel document, the SAR government also issued a statement expressing dissatisfaction and opposition, saying that the relevant arrangement is using some Hong Kong people still hold BNO passports or identity for political hype and is "Hypocritical measure". They will support and fully cooperate with China's measures.

A government spokesperson said that the British government deliberately violated the promises made in the memorandum of the "Sino-British Joint Declaration" today. In spite of China’s firm opposition and repeated representations, the British government insisted on using some Hong Kong people still hold BNO passports or identity for political speculations. The policy of providing path changes for Hong Kong people in the UK for residence and naturalization is a "hypocritical measure", and expressed dissatisfaction and opposition to this.

The spokesperson also said that because the British side had violated its promise first, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced today that China will consider not recognizing the British National (Overseas) passport as a valid travel document, and reserves the right to take further measures, expressing its support and full cooperation.

The spokesperson reiterated that national security is the central government authority and the enactment of the Hong Kong National Security Act is constitutional, lawful, sensible and reasonable; "The affairs of the HKSAR are China's internal affairs, and no other excuses, other countries are allowed to interfere." The spokesperson criticized the United Kingdom. The government uses the "Hong Kong National Security Act" as an excuse to take certain measures in a high profile, which is purely a political speculation, which not only seriously violates its own commitments, but also seriously interferes with the affairs of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. The spokesman continued that the British government, following the unilateral announcement of the suspension of the agreement on the transfer of fugitive offenders signed with Hong Kong, "made a big fuss" on the BNO issue, urging the British government to stop interfering in the affairs of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and get back on the right track.