Chloe Lo: Why the government’s China shift is unsettling for Hong Kongers in the UK

“Keir Starmer becomes the first UK Prime Minister to join TikTok,” says PoliticsUK.

Headlines like this make me pause and wonder whether I made the right decision taking my child across the world to rebuild our life in the UK.

This government’s repeated shifts in its stance on China have made many Hong Kongers question whether coming here was the right move. From denying the genocide of Uyghurs, refusing to call the Chinese Communist Party a threat, putting the Chinese mega-embassy back on the planning agenda, to now embracing TikTok, a platform well known for its ties to Beijing. It is difficult not to feel unsettled.

And if you think that is where the worries end, think again. The CCP’s attempts to silence Hong Kongers overseas are becoming more appalling by the day. On top of putting bounties on activists’ heads, they are now targeting exiled Hong Kongers with sexually explicit harassment campaigns, as reported by the BBC. They have even harassed people’s neighbours, sending unpleasant letters urging them to report activists to the Chinese embassy.

And while all of this is happening, the UK government reportedly collapsed its own CCP spy case and has now adjusted its extradition arrangements with Hong Kong. Requests will be considered on a case-by-case basis. At the same time, the immigration rules have changed. Although those on the BNO visa still need five years before applying for indefinite leave to remain, the higher English requirement and the increased income threshold mean that, for some families, five years could easily become ten.

What does this mean in reality? It means elderly parents who came here to retire, look after the grandchildren, and support their families may now face double the visa renewals and double the financial burden. The BNO visa comes with no access to benefits. There is no unemployment support. On top of that, we pay an annual Immigration Health Surcharge of more than £1,000 per person. People who have worked most of their lives, who simply wanted a safe place to rebuild their future, now face new barriers at every turn.

And for those not yet at retirement age, many cannot even access their lifelong, hard-earned pensions. The Hong Kong government continues to block withdrawals because Beijing no longer recognises the British National Overseas passport, even though it remains valid to many countries worldwide.

So how does it feel to be a Hong Konger in the UK now? Despite everything, there is still hope. The UK still holds on to basic human rights. Freedom of speech, freedom of assembly, press freedom, freedom of religion, all exist to a meaningful degree. Academic freedom is more uncertain. Many universities have been criticised for overlooking ethical standards when issues relate to the CCP. Yet compared with Hong Kong, the difference is still profound.

Here, activists will not be arrested for speaking up against Beijing. People can still protest and stand for what they believe in. That alone is something we should never take for granted.

Leaving your entire life behind is never easy. But staying in a city that has fallen so completely under authoritarian control would mean giving up your freedom for the rest of your life. The weather, the trains, the strikes, the tax system, these have always been part of the UK. They are inconveniences, not threats. I can wait a little longer for a delayed train. I can carry a brolly. I can dress warmly and leave home earlier. These things are nothing compared with losing my freedom or my child’s future.

Moving to the UK is not sunshine and rainbows. But I am grateful that I could escape. I am grateful for my pastor and my church family who have been there through the hardest moments. I am grateful my child can grow up in a country where speaking truth does not lead to prison. I am grateful for the activists who continue to stand together. And I am grateful for my partner who is, in every sense, God sent.

Being forced to leave your family and friends, and starting again in a foreign land, is never easy. But there is still so much to be thankful for.

Never forget why we started.

Do not give up, Hong Kongers.