Tension has been heating up since Britain said last week it could offer millions of Hongkongers visas and a possible route to UK citizenship if China persists with its national security law. An estimated 2.9 million Hong Kong residents were eligible for such passports, with nearly 350,000 holding valid ones, according to government statistics in February. He said he was concerned about the situation in the SAR, while urging Beijing to engage constructively with Hong Kong people. Activists in Hong Kong said they received 70,000 signatures for a petition that urges European leaders to oppose the national security law. State media Xinhua reported that several countries support national security legislation, including North Korea, Sri Lanka, Myanmar and the Philippines, among others.

Source: The Standard June 04, 2020 08:48 UTC