UK makes citizenship offer to Hong Kong residents

Boris Johnson's comments were made in London's parliament. /Paul Ellis/Pool Photo via AP, File

The UK will extend residency rights and a path to citizenship for up to three million people in Hong Kong, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said, after China ratified the national security law for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.

Responding to a question on the UK's opposition to the law, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian urged countries to "stop making use of HK issues to interfere in China's internal affairs."

Speaking to British members of parliament, Johnson said the UK will introduce "a new route for those with British National [Overseas] status to enter the UK."

About 350,000 British National Overseas Passport holders and 2.6 million others eligible for the passports would be able to come to the UK for five years. After a further year they would be able to apply for British citizenship, under the UK's plan.

Johnson said the legislation,

signed off

on Tuesday by China's National People's Congress Standing Committee, "violates Hong Kong's high degree of autonomy and is in direct conflict with Hong Kong Basic Law," the de-facto constitution of Hong Kong that came into effect in 1997 when the region was handed back to China.

Zhao reiterated in a statement that China is "firmly determined to implement 'One Country, Two Systems' and oppose foreign interference in Hong Kong affairs. Nobody and nothing could shake the Chinese government and people's resolution and will to safeguard national sovereignty and security and uphold Hong Kong's prosperity and stability."

The statement concluded: "Any attempt seeking to undermine China's sovereignty, security and development interests is doomed to fail."