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Added on the 20/07/2020 07:59:49 - Copyright : Euronews EN
Hong Kong, Aug 9 (EFE/EPA).- Thousands of Hong Kong residents are taking up the United Kingdom’s offer of safe haven and a path to British citizenship rolled out in response to Beijing's crackdown on the former British colony and the introduction of a national security law that curtails freedom of speech. The British government expects roughly 300,000 to take up the offer over the next five years. The National Security Law that Beijing imposed on the semi-autonomous Chinese city of Hong Kong this time last year silenced the protests that erupted in 2019 but also led to mass arrests, the marginalization of the political opposition and prompted many citizens to consider emigrating. (Camera: JEROME FAVRE). SHOT LIST: PEOPLE LINE UP TO CHECK IN FOR A LONDON-BOUND FLIGHT AT BRITISH AIRWAYS COUNTERS IN HONG KONG INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT IN HONG KONG.
Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang Wenbin says China will give a "strong response" after the United Kingdom suspended its extradition treaty with Hong Kong in protest at a controversial new security law in the territory. He also says it is "completely absurd" to draw comparisons with China's treatment of Uighur people and Nazi Germany's treatment of Jews. He then goes on to attack United States Secretary of State Pompeo for his statement criticising China's persecution of Falungong practioners.
Tensions with China will likely be top of the agenda during US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s visit to London on Monday. As FRANCE 24 international affairs editor Armen Georgian explains, the UK is set to suspend its extradition treaty with Hong Kong, following the lead of the United States and Australia, and also recently excluded Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei from supplying its 5G network.
China warns of “consequences” after the UK announced it could offer residency to up to 3 million Hong Kong citizens, as Beijing Parliament approved the controversial new “security law” for Hong Kong on Tuesday. “These counter-measures tend to be proportional when it comes to this kind of matters, so we could imagine restrictions on British nationals residing in China, and potentially even expulsions”, FRANCE 24’s correspondent Charles Pellegrin reports from Beijing.
China warns countries to stay out of domestic affairs, after Australia said it was actively considering offering safe haven to Hong Kong residents and the UK announced it could offer residency to Hong Kong citizens, as Beijing Parliament approved the controversial new “security law” for Hong Kong on Tuesday. In the following day, hundreds of arrests were made in the territory as protests were held to mark the 23rd anniversary of the handover from British to Chinese rule.
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