Fleeing Hong Kong, Families Make a New Life in Britain
By Henry Ridgwell | VOA News
As China’s crackdown on democratic freedoms in Hong Kong intensifies under Beijing’s so-called national security law, tens of thousands of citizens are fleeing the territory. In the first six months of the year, over 65,000 Hong Kong citizens, under a special new visa scheme, applied to move to Britain, which controlled the territory until 1997.
Mike and Ivy Lam arrived in Britain in December 2020 with their 11-year-old son in the middle of the British winter, in the midst of the pandemic. They left their home in Hong Kong just months after Beijing implemented the national security law in the territory.
“We have to think about, ‘Is Hong Kong still safe to stay?” said Mike. “And is it a good place for children to have a bright future? Because the conditions in Hong Kong (are) becoming worse and worse very rapidly.’ So, it pushed us to (make) the decision so fast.”
While China’s state-run People’s Daily said the new laws aim to “protect people’s rights” and make Hong Kong “safer” following months of demonstrations on the streets protesting an extradition law, many Hong Kongers see it as a crackdown on democratic freedoms.
The Lams say they were not seeking confrontation with Hong Kong authorities.
“We are just normal, ordinary citizens in Hong Kong,” Mike Lam said. “We just go for the (pro-democracy) protests sometimes. They said they have to promote the (Chinese) national education to the primary and secondary students, so we think that it is some sort of brainwashing stuff. So, we don’t want our child to be educated under these types of education.”
Mike and his family arrived in Britain in December 2020. They left their home in Hong Kong just months after Beijing implemented the national security law in the territory. (VOA News)
The Lams applied for British National (Overseas) visas (BNO visas), which Britain began offering last year.
They are open to Hong Kong citizens and their dependents who hold BNO passports, which were offered before Britain handed the territory to China in 1997. It’s estimated that 5.4 million people qualify. The U.K. government says the five-year visas offer “a path to British citizenship” and estimates that around 300,000 Hong Kong citizens could arrive under the BNO scheme within five years – though it says the number could be as high as 1 million.
China has said it will no longer recognize the BNO passports offered to Hong Kong residents before the handover in 1997.
The British government has voiced concern over Beijing’s alleged monitoring and harassment of those who have fled Chinese rule.
For the Lams, they’ve settled close to the historic city of Canterbury in Kent, in southeast Britain.
The couple set up a YouTube channel called “Home at Kent.” It features everything from farmers markets to garage sales, and for anyone wanting to follow in the Lam’s footsteps – a guide to apply for a BNO visa.
“We’ve completely (gotten) use to this life here,” said Mike. “The only different thing here is the life speed is a bit slower than in Hong Kong.”
But the Lams say it is good to enjoy a slower lifestyle in their newly adopted home.
“They said they have to promote the (Chinese) national education to the primary and secondary students, so we think that it is some sort of brainwashing stuff. So, we don't want our child to be educated under these types of education.”
