China
Hong Kong residents fleeing by the thousands for Britain after Chinese visa crackdown
Thousands of Hong Kong residents are fleeing the semi-autonomous city for Britain as the Chinese communist party begins to refuse certain passports and travel documents and fears of repercussions for supporting pro-democracy groups increases.
British government officials are expecting around 300,000 Hong Kong residents to seek extended residency rights over the next five years in the UK, Axios reported last night.
The Chinese government announced Saturday that it would no longer accept Hong Kong residents’ British National Overseas documentation for identity or travel purposes.
Now, 7,000 have so far fled to Britain and Axios reports that many are saying it is over a fear of crackdowns on those who support pro-democracy demonstrations and movements.
The AP further reported that most do not plan to ever return to Hong Kong
Axios reported in July that when China moved to restrict BNO identification, Britain saw it as violating its 1997 agreement in which terms were agreed upon that China would leave Hong Kong as an independent political entity for 50 years after Britain returned the city.
Read the full report here.
You can follow Ben Wilson on Twitter @BenDavisWilson
Earlier this week the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced it will be working to import chemotherapy drugs from, of all places, China. The drug, called Cisplatin, is to help “ramp up supply amidst rampant drug shortages in the U.S.” reports Foreign Desk News.
Foreign Desk News writes:
Cisplatin comes from drugmaker Qilu Pharmaceutical, which is marketed and produced in China but has not been approved by the FDA. According to a May 24 letter, Qilu will work with the Canadian-based drug company Apotex to import and distribute the medication, which will come in 50-milligram vials with Chinese labels.
“The FDA is responding to yet another generic drug shortage,” said Edmund F. Haislmaier, an expert in healthcare policy and markets at The Heritage Foundation. “The underlying cause of those shortages is that generic drugs have become low-margin commodity products,” he added.
Last week on Twitter, FDA commissioner Dr. Robert Califf said the partnership with Qilu Pharmaceutical is temporary but will provide patients with a potentially life-extending drug.
“The public should rest assured that we will continue all efforts within our authority to help the industry that manufactures and distributes these drugs meet all patient needs for the oncology drugs impacted by shortages,” Califf said.
The public should rest assured that we will continue all efforts within our authority to help the industry that manufactures and distributes these drugs meet all patient needs for the oncology drugs impacted by shortages. https://t.co/8XvOuJzSL4
— Dr. Robert M. Califf (@DrCaliff_FDA) June 3, 2023
Foreign Desk News adds:
The latest move by the FDA is sure to spark concern and debate in Congress, as lawmakers in the House and Senate have called on the Biden administration to de-couple the U.S. economy from the Chinese markets, given Beijing’s aggressive push to expand in the South-China Sea and eventually take over the island state of Taiwan. China has also spread illegal and dangerous synthetic opioids and fentanyl drugs across the U.S. southern border, resulting in the devastating deaths of many Americans.
-
Featured6 days agoDHS Alert: suspected terrorist on southwest border poses ‘imminent’ national security threat to U.S.
-
China7 days agoTreasury Department sanctions Chinese companies, Mexican individuals as ‘enablers’ to fentanyl crisis
-
Healthcare7 days agoOklahoma Mother Sues School District After Alleged Assault by Trans Student
-
Economy2 days agoNew York City Mayor Eric Adams Proposes Housing Asylum Seekers in Private Homes
