China threatens retaliation against UK for offer to Hong Kong residents

[Gimme More 35,802]

China has slammed the United Kingdom's decision to offer a path to citizenship for Hong Kong's residents, threatening potential "corresponding measures" and warning against interference in the semi-autonomous Chinese territory.

In a statement on Thursday, the Chinese embassy in London stressed all "Chinese compatriots residing in Hong Kong are Chinese nationals", and said the UK's offer was a violation of past communications between the two sides.

The British move - which could allow up to three million residents of Hong Kong to settle in the UK and ultimately apply for citizenship - came in response to a tough new national security law China enacted in Hong Kong this week.

The city was a British territory until its return to Chinese rule in 1997, and at the time of the handover, China promised to guarantee the city's legislative and judicial autonomy under a "one country, two systems" policy for 50 years.

But with Beijing seeking to punish what it calls separatism and foreign interference in Hong Kong, critics fear the legislation could put an end to the city's autonomy and freedoms, including the right to free speech and assembly.

[Guest]

They're horrible

[Quartz 12,762]

Just let the people live their lives, China! These are not sheep you control-- these are human beings. If they were OK with you, they wouldn't be opposing you this hard. Where are the basic humanity of governments?

[RahrahWitch 6,985]

The Chinese government really expects to try and take peoples rights away and then have issue with other countries offering refuge? Bitch please.

[Maleficent 6]

Chinese govt is in a lose-lose position right now. Either they give Hong Kong its freedom, or they witness massive Brain Drain over the course of the next decade—making Hong Kong totally useless for the Chinese anyways lol

[Guest]

Why did the UK leave Hong Kong, they were better off with UK