On the 23rd anniversary of the return of Hong Kong on July 1, a 24-year-old man with a sharp weapon attacked a police officer and was arrested before he was ready to escape in the early hours of July 2. It is reported that the man holds an expired British National (Overseas) passport.
According to the Hong Kong East Network report, at 4 pm on July 1, when the Hong Kong police conducted an arrest operation on Causeway Road near Hing Fat Street in Causeway Bay, a police officer tried to subdue a suspect and was strongly struggling and resisting. At that time, many thugs attacked the police with sharp objects, umbrellas, and bricks.
The photos on the scene showed that a thug inserted a sharp weapon into a police officer, causing his upper left shoulder to be injured and bleeding. With the help of multiple thugs, the murderer finally escaped. The injured police officer was then rushed to the hospital.
Since then, after investigation, the murderer is 24 years old, is a Hong Kong native, and lives in Wong Tai Sin District. Dongwang reported that the man was suspected of being reported by his relatives and friends afterwards, saying that he had a one-way ticket and was about to board a flight to the UK. The police rushed to the airport immediately after receiving the report and took him away on the flight.
The British National (Overseas) passport is a question of the transfer of British sovereignty over Hong Kong. Since July 1, 1987, passports issued to Hong Kong residents with British National (overseas) status have been issued. There are about 3 million Hong Kong residents holding such passports .
On July 1, the BBC reported that at the meeting of the British House of Commons, the British Prime Minister Johnson claimed that the National Security Law “undermined one country, two systems, and violated the Basic Law and the Sino-British Joint Declaration.” Johnson subsequently stated that the British government will provide 3 million Hong Kong people who are eligible to apply for British National (Overseas) passports with the means to join British citizenship.
On July 2, local time, a spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in the UK answered the question about British National (Overseas) passports. The British side had exchanged memorandums with China on the issue of British Nationals (Overseas) passports and made a clear commitment not to grant Hong Kong Chinese citizens holding British National (Overseas) passports have the right of abode in the UK.
The Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress of China clearly stated in the “Interpretation of Several Issues Concerning the Implementation of the Nationality Law of the People’s Republic of China in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region” that all Chinese compatriots in Hong Kong, regardless of whether they hold a “British Territories Citizens’ Passport” or “British “National (overseas) passports” are all Chinese citizens.
If the British side insists on unilaterally changing the relevant practices, it not only violates its own position and commitment, but also violates the basic principles of international law and international relations. We firmly oppose this and reserve the right to take corresponding measures. The Chinese side urges the British side to treat the Hong Kong SAR’s national security legislation objectively and impartially, respect China’s position and concerns, and not interfere in Hong Kong affairs in any way.