In the UK, the scheme of penetration of Chinese spies to the country’s territory was revealed. Reports about it
The Times with reference to sources in the British government.
Scouts use a special resettlement program designed for refugees from Hong Kong. Chinese agents submit an application for a special British visa under the pretext of seeking asylum from the totalitarian state. Such a visa can only receive Hong Kongs, who have a British citizen’s passport abroad (British Overseas National Passport, BNO) and their closest relatives. At the moment, there are 350 thousand inhabitants of Hong Kong at the moment, and another 2.6 million may apply for their receipt.
According to sources, the government had to introduce more thorough control over the issuance of visas, since there is already information about “sleeping” agents. “When submitting applications for a visa, a strict check of biographical data is carried out,” said the government.
In 2019, protests broke out in Hong Kong due to plans to adopt the law on extradition. The bill was supposed to allow the PRC authorities to take and judge the criminals on its territory. Critics of the document argue that the project has developed to extradite accused of political crimes and judge them according to the laws of mainland China.
a year after the suppression of protests, in June 2020, the Chinese authorities adopted a law on national security. He limited the autonomy of the region and allowed the extradition of the most dangerous, according to Beijing, criminals. This was the reason for new unrest among residents of a special administrative area (SAR).
Western countries accused China in violating Hong Kong’s human rights and autonomy. The Government of Great Britain in 2020 stated that in case of adoption of the Law on National Security, immigration legislation will change and take about three million Hong Kongs with the BNO passport. From January 31, 2021, all citizens of Hong Kong, possessing such a document, as well as their relatives, can come to Britain and stay there to live, work and learn.