| Hopes India to correct actions against Chinese firms immediately
ISLAMABAD: China warned Britain on Thursday it could retaliate with “corresponding measures” for London’s decision to extend a broader path to citizenship for the residents of Hong Kong. Britain’s offer came in response to a sweeping new security law that China unveiled for the former British territory this week.
Hong Kong was under UK jurisdiction until it was handed over to China in 1997 with a guarantee that Beijing would preserve the city’s judicial and legislative autonomy for 50 years. The Chinese embassy in London stressed that “all Chinese compatriots residing in Hong Kong are Chinese nationals”. The British plan covers almost three million Hong Kongers who either have British National Overseas (BNO) passports or are eligible to apply for one. The embassy said these people were Chinese nationals as well.
“If the British side makes unilateral changes to the relevant practice, it will breach its own position and pledges as well as international law and basic norms governing international relations,” it said in a statement. “We firmly oppose this and reserve the right to take corresponding measures,” it said without elaborating.–Agencies
