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China v UK: Huge row erupts as China orders countries to REFUSE to accept British passport

HONG KONG's Chinese rulers have told foreign consulates to refuse British travel documents, in a major escalation in tensions between Beijing and the UK.

By Steven Brown

PUBLISHED: 10:18, Thu, Mar 25, 2021 | UPDATED: 19:42, Thu, Mar 25, 2021

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A letter from the Hong Kong government has informed several foreign consulates it no longer considered the British National Overseas (BNO) passport as a valid document as of January this year. They demanded a Hong Kong passport should be used instead.

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However, a senior Western diplomat has said most countries will "ignore" the letter and said Hong Kong has "no right" to tell other nations what passports it can recognise.

They said: "Most countries are going to ignore this.

"It is the Hong Kong government just trying it on.

"They have no right to tell any state what foreign passports it can recognise."

Huge row erupts as China orders countries to REFUSE to accept British passport (Image: Getty)

Hong Kong chief executive Carrie Lam (Image: Getty)

A Hong Kong website listed 14 countries under the reciprocal Working Holiday Scheme, such as Japan, Canada, Germany, Britain and Australia.

While China will no longer recognise BNO passports, officials in Japan, South Korea, Italy and New Zealand confirmed they still will.

South Korea's Foreign Ministry said they had not received the letter while Hungary said it had.

The US said the BNO remained valid for visa-issuing purposes and travel to the country.

READ MORE: BBC warns of 'global threat to free media' as China ban row explodes

British National Overseas (BNO) passport not recognised (Image: PA)

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Last year, tensions between Britain and Beijing escalated after the Communist nation pushed through the controversial Hong Kong security law.

The new law was drafted behind closed doors by members of Beijing's top lawmaking body, the National People's Congress (NPC), bypassing Hong Kong's own elected legislative council.

People who are convicted of such crimes can face sentences up to life in prison.

Boris Johnson condemned the new security law and said the UK would have no choice but to offer up to three million residents a route to UK citizenship.