Regina Ip Claims Hongkong Migrants are "Refugees"

A person holds up their BN(O) passport during a mall protest

 

On Sunday 5pm Hong Kong time, the UK opened its doors to applications for the new British National (Overseas) immigration scheme.

This morning the British visa centre in North Point was a bit busier than usual, with many young families, some young people, and seniors.

One young couple said the process was quite smooth, as they had applied online and then at the visa centre provided fingerprints and facial scans, all completed in 30 minutes.

After five years HKers can apply for citzenship

The pro-establishment politicians, particularly one executive councillor, are doing their best to try to make the immigration scheme seem like a bad deal, but offering nothing better in return.

Exo member and lawmaker Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee said Britain was essentially treating Hongkongers hoping to move there as "refugees".

"You can go by simply paying for the visa and National Health Service fees and answering 100 questions. They are more or less treating you as refugees," she told a Monday morning radio program.

While she admitted Beijing and Hong Kong not recognizing BN(O) passports would not affect local residents much, but Ip hinted there were other countermeasures that could be taken, such as revoking the right of abode of permanent residents who resided in Britain.

She believed those who had left or were applying were either unhappy with the national security law, or had taken part in the 2019 anti-government protests and were afraid of being arrested.

Ip also suggested Hongkongers who emigrated under the new scheme might have "no skills and qualifications", unlike professionals like doctors, who could emigrate into the country via traditional methods.

Ip says the UK treats HKers like "refugees"

First of all has she not been reading the media reports that bankers and other highly qualified professionals are applying for this BN(O) immigration scheme? Is she insinuating the people who are leaving are all riff raff?

And second, she was part of the government over 20 years ago. As a member of the Tung Chee-hwa administration, she is partly responsible for the education of many of the people who are leaving. 

Third, many of the people sold their flats to move, which means they had pretty good-paying jobs to be able to buy property in the first place, in other words, they have a good education.

But she makes herself and Beijing sound elitist and condescending. And in a way the Hongkongers who are leaving want no part of that anyway.

Why not let people leave Hong Kong if they want? They obviously don't feel happy or safe here.

Former Democratic Party lawmaker Emily Lau Wai-hing has this exact sentiment.

Lau (left) says HKers should leave if they want

"It is none of their business [if Hongkongers choose to leave the city]," Lau said. "If Hong Kong residents feel they are safe, peaceful and free, do you believe they will, for no reason, sell their property and move overseas?"

The British government is forecasting up to 1 million people from Hong Kong emigrating to the UK in the next five years, though some say it could only be 320,000.

Many people have been thinking about leaving Hong Kong for a long time, at least a year or two. They have been carefully calculating how they can survive financially for at least six months without a job, and are psychologically prepared to take much lower jobs than their experience.

This shows their willingness to move for their children, or to feel happier or safer in another country.

What is Hong Kong doing to entice them to stay?

Nothing, which is why these people feel they have nothing to lose by going elsewhere.