Protecting the Rights of Hong Kongers

Motion as passed by conference

Conference notes that:

1. Since the 2020 National Security Law was imposed, which violates the principle of the Joint Declaration, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has taken further steps to crack down on civil liberties in Hong Kong, including by broadening the scope and definition of political crimes through the passage of the Safeguarding National Security Bill in March 2024.
2. The arbitrary denial of entry to Hong Kong for Liberal Democrat MP Wera Hobhouse – the first time a British Parliamentarian has been blocked since the 1997 handover – further illustrates the increasing authoritarianism of the Hong Kong authorities.
3. The growth of an insidious campaign of transnational repression, sponsored by the CCP and implemented by the Chinese intelligence services, which is targeting pro–democracy Chinese and Hong Kong activists, including those based in the UK, who aim to shine a spotlight on the abuses of the Chinese state and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR).
4. The offering of bounties by the HKSAR of up to HK$1,000,000 (circa £94,000) for the arrest of Hong Kong and Chinese pro–democracy activists living abroad, including in the UK, and the anonymous delivery of letters to neighbours of pro–democracy activists urging them to bring activists to the Chinese Embassy in London.
5. The alarming proposals for a Chinese ‘mega–embassy’ in the heart of London which, if greenlighted, would pose serious risks to the UK’s national and cyber security, and which have been opposed by nearly 30 human rights and civil society organisations – including the Hong Kong Democracy Council and Safeguard Defenders.
6. The Government’s failure to place China (including HKSAR) on the enhanced tier of the Foreign Influence Registration Scheme (FIRS), despite the risks posed by the CCP to British interests and values.
7. As Beijing ramps up its efforts to intimidate these courageous activists, the Government’s Immigration White Paper has cast doubt on the future of the British National Overseas (BNO) pathway – including whether the proposed increase to the general residence requirement for settlement from five to ten years will apply to the BNO scheme.
8. The increasing influence by the CCP on the content and framing of Chinese language education in the United Kingdom through both the increasing number of Confucius Institutes and known links between publishers of educational material and the CCP.

Conference expresses its grave disappointment and concern that UK Government Ministers are continuing to travel to China for trade talks - including the Business Secretary in September 2025 - even as Beijing expands its campaign of transnational repression.

Conference believes that:

1. The UK owes a unique and historic obligation to Hong Kongers, including those who have travelled to the UK already and those still living in Hong Kong who wish to leave the city.
2. Efforts to intimidate pro–democracy Chinese and Hong Kong activists living in the UK are abhorrent and constitute an attack on British sovereignty which must be rigorously and consistently opposed.
3. Hong Kongers wishing to travel and settle in the UK under the BNO scheme must be provided with clarity on the pathway’s requirements and timeline.
4. Hong Kongers have a distinct cultural and linguistic history and identity which should be celebrated and protected but is at risk of erasure.

Conference reaffirms:

1. The policy recommendations proposed in conference motion Hong Kong’s Future (2020).
2. The Liberal Democrats’ commitment to ensuring Hong Kongers have a life raft should they need it – as pioneered by the late Paddy Ashdown – in light of China reneging on the promises enshrined in the Handover Declaration.

Conference calls on the UK Government to:

1. Block the application for the Chinese ‘mega–embassy’ and take measures to ensure that there is the right to peacefully and safely protest outside the proposed construction site.
2. Establish a bespoke police hotline for reporting incidents of political intimidation, and reaffirm the illegality of bounty hunting in the UK – sending a clear message that the UK will not tolerate CCP–sponsored attempts at extraterritorial repression.
3. Suspend all further Ministerial visits to China until the bounties currently targeting Hong Kongers living in the UK are lifted, and Beijing provides reassurances that no more will be authorised.
4. Retain the five–year pathway to settlement for all BNO visa holders, reflecting our unique and historic obligation to the people of Hong Kong and providing the certainty that Hong Kongers deserve.
5. Include all Chinese Communist Party and HKSAR officials, as well as Chinese Communist Party–linked organisations, on the ‘enhanced tier’ of the FIRS.
6. Implement targeted sanctions against those officials in the HKSAR and the Chinese Communist Party identified as responsible for raising bounties on the heads of pro–democracy Hong Kong and Chinese activists living in the UK.
7. Commission an independent review into Chinese language public education to ensure inclusivity and editorial independence.
8. Establish separate and distinct Mandarin and Cantonese strands within the Chinese language education framework across both GCSEs and A-Levels, following the example set by SQA in Scotland.
9. Appoint a Home Office Departmental Tsar for the ‘Protection of pro–democracy activists’ – with responsibility for laying an annual report before Parliament outlining the Government’s progress in strengthening protection for activists against foreign intimidation, and oversee the tackling of disinformation campaigns aimed at inciting violence against pro–democracy Hong Kong and Chinese activists.

Applicability: Federal, except 7 and 8 which are England only.

Motion prior to amendment

Submitted by: 12 party members
Mover: Larry Ngan.
Summation: Luke Taylor MP.

Conference notes that:

1. Since the 2020 National Security Law was imposed, which violates the principle of the Joint Declaration, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has taken further steps to crack down on civil liberties in Hong Kong, including by broadening the scope and definition of political crimes through the passage of the Safeguarding National Security Bill in March 2024.
2. The arbitrary denial of entry to Hong Kong for Liberal Democrat MP Wera Hobhouse – the first time a British Parliamentarian has been blocked since the 1997 handover – further illustrates the increasing authoritarianism of the Hong Kong authorities.
3. The growth of an insidious campaign of transnational repression, sponsored by the CCP and implemented by the Chinese intelligence services, which is targeting pro–democracy Chinese and Hong Kong activists, including those based in the UK, who aim to shine a spotlight on the abuses of the Chinese state and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR).
4. The offering of bounties by the HKSAR of up to HK$1,000,000 (circa £94,000) for the arrest of Hong Kong and Chinese pro–democracy activists living abroad, including in the UK, and the anonymous delivery of letters to neighbours of pro–democracy activists urging them to bring activists to the Chinese Embassy in London.
5. The alarming proposals for a Chinese ‘mega–embassy’ in the heart of London which, if greenlighted, would pose serious risks to the UK’s national and cyber security, and which have been opposed by nearly 30 human rights and civil society organisations – including the Hong Kong Democracy Council and Safeguard Defenders.
6. The Government’s failure to place China (including HKSAR) on the enhanced tier of the Foreign Influence Registration Scheme (FIRS), despite the risks posed by the CCP to British interests and values.
7. As Beijing ramps up its efforts to intimidate these courageous activists, the Government’s Immigration White Paper has cast doubt on the future of the British National Overseas (BNO) pathway – including whether the proposed increase to the general residence requirement for settlement from five to ten years will apply to the BNO scheme.

Conference believes that:

1. The UK owes a unique and historic obligation to Hong Kongers, including those who have travelled to the UK already and those still living in Hong Kong who wish to leave the city.
2. Efforts to intimidate pro–democracy Chinese and Hong Kong activists living in the UK are abhorrent and constitute an attack on British sovereignty which must be rigorously and consistently opposed.
3. Hong Kongers wishing to travel and settle in the UK under the BNO scheme must be provided with clarity on the pathway’s requirements and timeline.

Conference reaffirms:

1. The policy recommendations proposed in conference motion Hong Kong’s Future (2020).
2. The Liberal Democrats’ commitment to ensuring Hong Kongers have a life raft should they need it – as pioneered by the late Paddy Ashdown – in light of China reneging on the promises enshrined in the Handover Declaration.

Conference calls on the UK Government to:

1. Block the application for the Chinese ‘mega–embassy’ and take measures to ensure that there is the right to peacefully and safely protest outside the proposed construction site.
2. Establish a bespoke police hotline for reporting incidents of political intimidation, and reaffirm the illegality of bounty hunting in the UK – sending a clear message that the UK will not tolerate CCP–sponsored attempts at extraterritorial repression.
3. Retain the five–year pathway to settlement for all BNO visa holders, reflecting our unique and historic obligation to the people of Hong Kong and providing the certainty that Hong Kongers deserve.
4. Include all Chinese Communist Party and HKSAR officials, as well as Chinese Communist Party–linked organisations, on the ‘enhanced tier’ of the FIRS.
5. Implement targeted sanctions against those officials in the HKSAR and the Chinese Communist Party identified as responsible for raising bounties on the heads of pro–democracy Hong Kong and Chinese activists living in the UK.
6. Appoint a Home Office Departmental Tsar for the ‘Protection of pro–democracy activists’ – with responsibility for laying an annual report before Parliament outlining the Government’s progress in strengthening protection for activists against foreign intimidation, and oversee the tackling of disinformation campaigns aimed at inciting violence against pro–democracy Hong Kong and Chinese activists.

Applicability: Federal.

Amendments

Amendment One

PASSED

Submitted by: 12 members
Mover: Bobby Dean MP
Summation: TBA

After G. (line 39), insert: 

Conference expresses its grave disappointment and concern that UK Government Ministers are continuing to travel to China for trade talks - including the Business Secretary in September 2025 - even as Beijing expands its campaign of transnational repression. 

After 2. (line 65) insert: 

3. Suspend all further Ministerial visits to China until the bounties currently targeting Hong Kongers living in the UK are lifted, and Beijing provides reassurances that no more will be authorised.

Amendment Two

PASSED

Submitted by: Sheffield
Mover: Cllr Rob Reiss
Summation: Cllr Will Sapwell

After G. (line 39) insert: 

H. The increasing influence by the CCP on the content and framing of Chinese language education in the United Kingdom through both the increasing number of Confucius Institutes and known links between publishers of educational material and the CCP. 

After III. (line 50) insert: 

IV. Hong Kongers have a distinct cultural and linguistic history and identity which should be celebrated and protected but is at risk of erasure. 

After 6. (line 83) insert:

7. Commission an independent review into Chinese language public education to ensure inclusivity and editorial independence.
8. Establish separate and distinct Mandarin and Cantonese strands within the Chinese language education framework across both GCSEs and A-Levels, following the example set by SQA in Scotland. 

Applicability: Lines 10-15 of this amendment (inserting 7 and 8) are England only.

Image: Studio Incendo, CC BY 2.0