Beijing: China said that it would not accept the British National Overseas (BNO) passport as a credible travel document or for credentials beginning from Jan 31. The declaration arrives as Britain serves to open its access to millions of more residents of the former colony, after a security crackdown by Beijing.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s administration has agreed to give long-term sanctuary for Hong Kong residents who need to move the territory. Possessors of BNO status, a legacy of the UK regime over Hong Kong up to 1997 will from Sunday be capable to appeal to live and work in Britain for up to five years and finally sees citizenship.BNO passport holders before had only restricted powers to visit the UK for up to six months, and no license to work or settle.
“From Jan 31, China will no longer recognize the so-called BNO passport as a travel document and ID document, and reserves the right to take further actions,” foreign ministry representative Zhao Lijian told. London states that it is working in reply to a National Security Law inflicted by China last year which has devastated Hong Kong’s protest campaign and turned back liberties purported to last 50 years under the 1997 handover agreement. Zhao declared an “indignant” China assumed Britain had progressed well exceeding the extent of the agreement, therefore invalidating it.
“The UK is trying to turn large numbers of Hong Kong residents into second-class UK citizens and has already completely changed the nature of the BNO,” Zhao appended. It makes sufficient on Beijing’s warning to reply to Britain’s extensive visa proposal with some kind of penal correlative actions. The menace of additional effect proposes Beijing may be brewing more constraints for BNO owners down the path.
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Chinese administrators already hinted last year that they might grant resisting acceptance of BNO passports. At the time they stated that it would intend BNO holders to be incapable to travel to the Chinese region. However, it is not clear whether Chinese officials would know who owns the document. Hong Kongers use their own Hong Kong passport or ID card to move to the city. To access the Chinese region, they require to use their Hong Kong passport. The only chance they might use a BNO is on arrival in Britain or a different country that accepts the document.
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