Global Affairs: Sino-UK ties: Demise of the 'golden era'

Britain has long had a friendly view of China, but the latter's move on Hong Kong is rekindling guilty feelings of shame over empire

New: Gift this subscriber-only story to your friends and family

LONDON • One of the chief reasons why voters in Britain decided that their country should leave the European Union was the question of immigration; Britons - and particularly those less skilled or wealthy - were apparently fed up with the policy of open borders, which allowed any EU citizen to settle in the United Kingdom.

Yet last week, the British government made a momentous decision which could lead to the biggest single wave of immigration in the country's history: It announced that up to three million people from Hong Kong could, if they wish, come to Britain to work and ultimately settle forever.

Already a subscriber? 

Read the full story and more at $9.90/month

Get exclusive reports and insights with more than 500 subscriber-only articles every month

Unlock these benefits

  • All subscriber-only content on ST app and straitstimes.com

  • Easy access any time via ST app on 1 mobile device

  • E-paper with 2-week archive so you won't miss out on content that matters to you

Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.

A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on June 08, 2020, with the headline Global Affairs: Sino-UK ties: Demise of the 'golden era'. Subscribe