Beijing criticises UK for creating ‘second-class citizens’ with Hong Kong visa scheme

Nearly 90,000 Hong Kongers apply to resettle in the UK this year amid a crackdown on dissent in the territory

Beijing has claimed the UK wants to make Hong Kongers second-class citizens" with its British national (overseas) (BNO) visa scheme, after new figures showed almost 90,000 people have applied from the former British colony to resettle in the UK.

[I]in flagrant violation of its international commitment, the UK tries to turn many Hong Kong residents into second-class citizens' in the UK and reap benefit from this," foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said in a weekly press conference on Wednesday.