UK Expands Visa Route for Hong Kong Citizens Amidst Political Tensions

The United Kingdom is amplifying its visa pathway for residents of Hong Kong, responding directly to the sentencing of Jimmy Lai, a prominent critic of Chinese policies, who was recently handed a 20-year prison term.

This development is part of the UK's moral responsibility towards Hong Kong citizens, a former colony returned to China in 1997. Foreign Minister Yvette Cooper emphasized the need for Lai's release on humanitarian grounds.

The visa expansion includes children of British National (Overseas) status holders as of the 1997 handover, with estimates suggesting 26,000 individuals may relocate to the UK. Over 170,000 have already used a special visa, introduced in response to Hong Kong’s crackdown on dissent.