The Hongkongers leaving for the UK
Business Daily
BBC
4.4 • 816 Ratings
🗓️ 2 August 2022
⏱️ 17 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
In 2020, after months of civil unrest, China introduced a new security law in Hong Kong. The UK authorities said it 'violated' the one country, two systems principle established after the former colony was handed back to China in 1997. In response the UK has expanded the British National Overseas visa scheme which now offers the right to live and work in the UK for five years, as well as a path to citizenship. In the first 15 months about 125,000 people applied. We catch up with those starting new lives in the UK and find out how they're establishing careers.
We hear from a journalist who's now working as a traffic warden, and a politician who has found a new role working for a High Street bank. Others explain how they organise regular litter picks to show their gratitude to the UK. Former Chinese diplomat Victor Gao gives the view from Beijing.
Producer/presenter: James Graham Additional production: Danny Vincent Image: A woman in Hong Kong at night. Credit: Getty Images
Transcript
Click on a timestamp to play from that location
| 0:00.0 | Hello, I'm James Graham and welcome to Business Daily on the BBC. |
| 0:05.1 | Today we're hearing from the Hong Kongers who've set up new lives in the UK. |
| 0:09.0 | We would like to give back to the UK community and also show that Hong Kongers can contribute. |
| 0:15.4 | Thousands have fled in the past 18 months, but how are they adjusting to their new reality? |
| 0:20.3 | I try to apply the job in Taxco, Morrison, Mike and Spencer. |
| 0:23.7 | Just want to find a job to settle down in the UK. |
| 0:27.3 | But no one responds me. |
| 0:29.5 | That's Business Daily on the BBC. |
| 0:36.6 | The sound of a family packing up their belongings, leaving their home for a new start on the other side of the world. |
| 0:46.2 | You can see that the corridor here and the kitchen is pretty much empty. |
| 0:51.3 | You can't see the fridge, you can't see the washer because, you know, we |
| 0:55.1 | move everything out already. Yeah, because we're going to spend the last night here. Like many |
| 1:00.2 | who spoke to me for this program, they don't want to give their identities fearing repercussions |
| 1:04.5 | for family members or themselves if they return. It used to be our home, but it's like, I don't know, changed drastically very much. |
| 1:15.1 | Hong Kong used to be an international city. |
| 1:18.6 | We do have the connection with the Western world outside, whereas like in China it seems |
| 1:25.1 | like it's pretty much locked up in respect to policies or any kind of news |
| 1:32.3 | and information. I don't want to use the word politically, but actually politics means everything, |
| 1:40.3 | means everybody's matter, like education, like housing, like population and everything. |
| 1:48.0 | And nowadays in Hong Kong, it's kind of approaching to the way that the mainland way. |
| 1:56.0 | On July the 1st, with a typhoon approaching, dignitaries gathered in Hong Kong to mark the 25th anniversary of the handover from Britain to China in 1997. |
| 2:08.4 | That deal gave Hong Kong autonomy for 50 years, and this was known as one country, two systems. |
... |
Please login to see the full transcript.
Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from BBC, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.
Generated transcripts are the property of BBC and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.
Copyright © Tapesearch 2026.