As a Hongkonger with a British national (overseas) – BNO – passport who is now living in Britain, I read your editorial about the UK’s evolving position on China with both personal and political weight (The Guardian view on UK-China relations: a dilemma made sharper by Brexit, 16 April). For many of us who left Hong Kong following the imposition of the national security law, the threat from the ruling regime was not abstract – it was immediate, personal and existential.
Our migration was not simply a search for better opportunities but a necessary departure from a city whose freedoms were being rapidly dismantled.
The UK’s cautious recalibration of its relationship with Beijing raises complex emotions. On one hand, I understand the economic pressures that compel governments to engage with China. On the other hand, I worry about the signals that renewed cooperation might send to Hongkongers resisting repression and to the authoritarian regime. When British ministers visit Beijing or soften their stance, it sometimes feels like the struggle and suffering of Hongkongers is being quietly sidelined for trade and investment.
As part of a growing diaspora, we are rebuilding our lives here – finding community, raising children, contributing to society. But we remain deeply connected to Hong Kong. We are not passive observers. We organise, advocate and speak out, because what happens in UK-China relations affects how safe and heard we feel.
The UK’s commitment to human rights and democratic values cannot be selective. Hongkongers with BNO passports are a living reminder of what is at stake when authoritarianism goes unchecked. A pragmatic China policy should not ignore the lived experience of people like us. Economic strategy must be balanced with moral clarity or the very values that once drew us to Britain will be compromised. This is not just about geopolitics, it is about people’s lives, voices and futures.
Sum Kung
Cambridge
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