China criticizes UK visa expansion following Jimmy Lai's 20-year sentence

Following the conviction and 20-year prison sentence of prominent pro-democracy activist and media tycoon Jimmy Lai, the United Kingdom has announced an expansion of its visa scheme for Hong Kong residents. This move has drawn sharp criticism from China, which has accused the UK of interfering in its internal affairs. The expanded visa route, announced on February 9, 2026, will make adult children of British National (Overseas) status holders, who were under 18 at the time of Hong Kong's 1997 handover, eligible to apply for the route independently of their parents. Their partners and children will also be able to move to the UK under this expanded scheme. The UK government estimates that approximately 26,000 more people could arrive in the UK over the next five years due to these changes. This expansion aims to address eligibility gaps that have previously led to families being split, allowing more Hong Kong families to resettle in the UK. The British government stated that this expansion honors its historic commitment to the people of Hong Kong and provides a safe haven amid ongoing concerns over the erosion of rights and freedoms in the territory. Since the BNO route was launched in early 2021, in response to Beijing's imposition of the National Security Law in Hong Kong, over 230,000 people have been granted visas, with nearly 170,000 having already relocated to the UK. Jimmy Lai, a 78-year-old British citizen and founder of the now-defunct Apple Daily newspaper, was convicted on December 15, 2025, on charges including conspiracy to collude with foreign forces and conspiracy to publish seditious publications under Hong Kong's National Security Law. He was sentenced on February 9, 2026, to 20 years in prison, a sentence that human rights organizations have decried as a "travesty of justice" and "effectively a life sentence." His conviction and sentencing have been widely condemned by international governments and human rights groups, who argue that Lai was targeted for exercising his right to freedom of expression. China, however, has defended the verdict and sentence, with its Foreign Ministry stating that Lai is a Chinese citizen and that criticisms amount to interference in its internal affairs. Beijing has summoned British and American diplomats to express "strong concerns" over their governments' statements regarding Lai's case. The UK Foreign Secretary, Yvette Cooper, has called for Lai's release on humanitarian grounds and condemned the prosecution as "politically motivated." The Chinese government has accused the UK of having a "colonial mindset" and urged it to stop interfering in Hong Kong's judicial affairs. The expansion of the UK visa scheme is seen as a direct response to Lai's sentencing and highlights the ongoing diplomatic tensions between the UK and China over Hong Kong. The situation underscores the broader deterioration of relations between the two countries, exacerbated by Beijing's imposition of the National Security Law in 2020, which the UK views as a breach of the Sino-British Joint Declaration. The UK government has reiterated its commitment to the people of Hong Kong and its intention to continue engaging on Lai's case.

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