The British government on Thursday disclosed the details of its controversial new British National (Overseas) Visa for three million residents of China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. As per the new rules, HKSAR residents can apply for British citizenship after spending a stipulated period of time in the country. In a statement released on the same day, the British government said there will be no cap on the numbers. 

"This new route to the UK is part of our commitment to the people of Hong Kong," said British Consul General in Hong Kong Andrew Heyn, alluding to the months-long social unrest and street violence in 2019 that had plunged the Asian financial hub into the gravest situation since its return to the motherland in 1997.

"The UK is ready to welcome BNO citizens and their dependents to the UK," the British official said.

Read more:

Backgrounder: What is the BNO passport?

The announcement attracted Beijing's ire. China's central government voiced its "firm opposition," threatening to withdraw its recognition of BNO Visa already held by some Hong Kong residents.

On Saturday, the Chinese Embassy in the UK released a statement from the Foreign Ministry that accused the UK of "obstinately hyping up the BN(O) passport issue" and "blatantly interfering in Hong Kong affairs, which are China's internal affairs."

"This will only end up harming its own interests," Zhao Lijian, spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry was quoted as saying.

China reserves the right to take further actions, he added.

"This has wantonly interfered in China's internal matters and Hong Kong issues," said a spokesperson for the Office of the Commissioner of the Chinese Foreign Ministry in the HKSAR.

The move also publicly violates the memoranda exchanged between the two countries, in which Britain declared that it would not confer the right of abode to Chinese citizens in Hong Kong holding BNO visas, the official added.

The visas were issued to Hong Kongers born before 1997, a time when Hong Kong returned to China. Currently, there are about 2.9 million Hong Kong residents eligible for BNO status.

The new visa will allow holders to enter and remain in Britain for an initial period of 30 months, extendable by further a 30 months, or a single period of five years, according to the British government.

Holders can apply to live in Britain forever once they have lived there for five years. "After 12 months with this status, you can apply for British citizenship," read the statement.

"I don't think that the government has actually thought through its policy in Hong Kong and what would it mean if these three million people were coming into Britain," Ben Chacko, a British political commentator and the editor of Morning Star, told CGTN.

"I think they just picked a number out in the air in order to annoy the Chinese government without thinking through the consequences of what they are doing," he warned.

According to British media reports citing official estimates, over one million people from Hong Kong could move to Britain in the next five years under the new visa scheme.

It also suggested the influx would provide a boost to the economy of between 2.4 to 2.9 billion British pounds ($3.14 to 3.79 billion).

"There are thousands of people who are drowning in the Mediterranean trying to reach to safety in Europe and the British government does not let these people in, and yet suddenly they are offering this ridiculous figure of three million people coming from Hong Kong," Chacko observed.

"If they (the British government) are so concerned about protecting people, there are lots of refugees that they could be taking in," he noted. 

Amendments to the BNO Visa scheme were purposed by the British government in July 2019. China has repeatedly protested against such antics. 

In July, "solemn declaration" was issued by the HKSAR government. Given the history, it is hypocritical for Britain to insist on using the BNO Visa or status, which some people in Hong Kong still hold, for political maneuvering on the pretext of changing the policy to provide a route for relevant persons to reside and obtain citizenship in Britain, said a spokesman for the HKSAR government.