London: Hong Kongers who fled China’s repressive crackdown have urged British Prime Minister Boris Johnson to consider recognising their qualifications in order to make their resettlements in Britain an easier experience.
Johnson held a 30-minute conversation with four families who’ve recently left Hong Kong and moved to Britain under a special program for British overseas nationals established after China’s national security law was imposed last year.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson told the families he was “proud” to be able to offer them a pathway to British citizenship and had no doubt they would feel “very much at home in Britain”.Credit:Getty
Up to 130,000 people are expected to take up the offer, which provides a pathway to British citizenship in the first year with estimates of between 7000 and 9000 already having relocated.
Britain opened visa applications in January and has already received 27,000 applications.
Johnson’s conversation with the quad of families was held via Microsoft Teams from Downing Street early on Saturday morning AEDT.
Dr Krish Kandiah, an adviser on social care to the English government and founder of UKHK helped set up the call.
His not-for-profit connects churches of any faith with newly arrived families to help them with accessing basic services like how to sign up for a GP clinic and enrol their children in schools.
Dr Krish Kandiah, an adviser on social care to the English government and founder of UKHK helped set up the call.
He told The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age that there was a “real buzz in the room” during the call.
“They shared a lot of appreciation and gratitude to the Prime Minister for opening up the immigration routes,” Kandiah said.
“Their main reasons for leaving Hong Kong were freedom of speech and wanting a better life for their children – most of them had schoolchildren.
“But they said they were quite emotional about having to leave their families behind in order to make that investment in the next generation.
“They also suggested some things that might need improving to make their resettlements smoother, particularly the recognition of their qualifications, and there was a big commitment from the government to explore that.”
Johnson told the families he was “proud” to be able to offer them a pathway to British citizenship and had no doubt they would feel “very much at home in Britain”.
“On behalf of the whole country I want to say how glad we are to have you here and how proud we are that you have chosen the UK to live,” Johnson said, according to a statement from Number 10.
“I believe strongly in the prospects the UK can offer for those who want to make their lives here and I have no doubt that you are going to feel very much at home.
“The UK has a long and proud history of embracing those who arrive on our shores seeking the inalienable rights and freedoms denied to them in their homeland,” the Prime Minister said.
Britain has, several times, declared China in breach of its legally binding international commitment guaranteeing Hong Kong autonomy, made during the handover.
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