Boris Johnson: "Clear and Serious Crime"

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said in a speech to the British Parliament that the Security Act is a clear and serious violation of the 1984 Sino-British surrender agreement, which governs the country's surrender of its former Crown colony to China in 1997.

The London government has previously said that it wants to examine the text of the law more closely before establishing whether China has committed a breach of the surrender agreement.

- It (the law) is in conflict with Hong Kong's high degree of independence and is in direct conflict with Hong Kong's constitution. The law also threatens the freedoms and rights protected by the surrender agreement, Johnson says.

People who were residents of Hong Kong before becoming Chinese in 1997 have the opportunity to get a so-called British National Overseas status. With such a passport, you are considered British to the nationality and belong to the British Commonwealth, but you are not a British citizen and do not have automatic entry or work permits in the UK.

It is estimated that around 350,000 people in Hong Kong have BNO and that another 2 million, those born under the British flag before July 1, 1997, can apply.

- We have made it clear that if China continues down the beaten path, we will open a new path for anyone with British National Overseas status to come to the UK, giving them some opportunity to stay, live and work in the UK, and then apply on citizenship. And that's exactly what we're going to do now, he continues.

China rejects international criticism by claiming that Hong Kong is China's sole cause.

- What do you have to do with this? This does not concern you, says Zhang Xiaoming of the Hong Kong Parliament of China's parliament, according to the AFP news agency.

"We have every right to introduce criminal law, criminal procedures and national security legislation, as well as other laws in Hong Kong," he continues.