British politics is taking a hard turn, and it spells trouble for Hong Kong people who’ve moved to the UK.
On September 22, Nigel Farage, leader of the far-right “Reform UK” party, dropped a bombshell immigration plan. He wants to scrap the existing permanent residency system, calling it “highly unfair.” Instead, he argues everyone should only get visas that need renewal every five years, with citizenship possible only after seven years of living in the UK.
The Reform Party’s Hardcore Immigration Plan
Farage’s proposal is brutal: to renew a visa, applicants must earn £60,000 annually — that’s a 44% hike from the current £42,000 threshold for skilled workers. No social welfare benefits, NHS users will pay hefty fees, and only those with advanced English language ability will qualify. Family reunifications? Strictly limited.
When a Guardian reporter asked if this hits Hong Kong BN(O) migrants on the “5+1” scheme, Farage didn’t hesitate. Hong Kong people are definitely caught in this net. He even coldly declared at the press conference, “None of them will get permanent residency—thank you.”
Europe's sweeping anti-immigrant mood isn’t sparing the UK. After Labour came to power, they already proposed extending the BN(O) “5+1” rule to “10+1,” though they’ve been vague if this targets Hong Kong BN(O) migrants specifically. But the Reform UK Party is very open and clear about its position.
This political shakeup means the worst is yet to come for Hong Kong people in the UK.
Parties Battle to Outdo Each Other on Immigration Control
Political parties know voters hate immigrants. Now, they’re racing to outdo each other with even tougher anti-immigration schemes. The Conservatives are on the back foot, blamed for the surge under Boris Johnson’s era. Farage slammed Johnson’s tenure as “the worst betrayal of democratic will in living memory.”
Under Johnson, the UK took in huge numbers of immigrants from Hong Kong, Ukraine, and Afghanistan. Farage wants to kick out these roughly 800,000 mostly young and low-skilled migrants. Having launched this aggressive anti-immigrant proposal, other UK parties are expected to follow with harsher policies — and Hong Kong BN(O) holders are squarely in the crosshairs.
Europe is seeing a far-right surge: Italy’s Giorgia Meloni leads with her Brothers of Italy party; Marine Le Pen’s National Rally topped France’s first-round parliamentary vote last year; Germany’s AfD grabbed nearly 20% in this year’s vote.
The UK no longer looks immune. A recent Economist poll shows Reform UK leading at 31%, ahead of Labour’s 21%, Conservatives’ 17%, and Lib Dems’ 13%.
Reform UK’s Meteoric Rise
In 2024’s election, Labour smashed it with 411 seats, Conservatives fell to 121, and Reform UK barely registered with 5 seats. Fast forward one year, and reformers are polling first.
This far-right tsunami started in the US and is crashing over the West with fierce anti-immigrant vibes. Barriers to residency and citizenship are just the start. Social hostility toward immigrants like Hong Kong people in the UK is bound to grow.
The message is clear: if the Reform UK takes power, Hong Kong BNO holders have a tough road ahead — best be prepared.
Lo Wing-hung
Bastille Commentary
** The blog article is the sole responsibility of the author and does not represent the position of our company. **
Picture this: Back before 2018, I'd have laughed off any talk of Hong Kong rivaling the big dogs like London, New York, or Switzerland as a global hub. But dig into the facts—US-launched trade wars in 2018, followed by Western sanctions crushing Russia after the 2022 Ukraine conflict. And suddenly, Hong Kong's spotlight sharpens.
Hong Kong just wrapped up its FinTech Week, drawing crowds with real momentum. Then came the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB)—founded in January 2016, well before US-China tensions boiled over—announcing plans for an office here to handle surging business, as stated in their official press release.
Nine years on, the landscape has flipped: Western dominance cracks under self-inflicted wounds, opening doors for Hong Kong to anchor international flows.
Western Giants Exposed
For decades, a handful of spots ruled the roost as international powerhouses. Let's break them down with the receipts.
New York stands as the nerve center for global finance and politics. The New York Stock Exchange dominates as the world's largest market by volume, per SEC filings, pulling in companies chasing listings. It's also home to UN Headquarters, buzzing with organizations and elite talent. And don't forget: The US pumps out top-tier education, drawing students worldwide—though that's shifting, as we'll see.
London. It's the silver medal in finance, hosting the London Stock Exchange—second biggest globally, according to LSE data. The city doubles as an education magnet, a go-to for international students seeking prestige.
Switzerland plays the wealth guardian, its neutrality—enshrined in treaties since 1815—luring billionaires to stash fortunes, as UBS and Credit Suisse reports confirm. Commerce sparks arbitration needs, making it a go-to for disputes under the Swiss Chambers' Arbitration Institution.
Let’s not forget Silicon Valley: fueling innovation and tech while clustering talent and venture capital—think $100 billion-plus in annual US VC deals, per PitchBook stats, centered there.
Globalization's Breaking Point
Back then, it was pure bliss under globalization's spell. G7 powerhouses and Global South players alike swam in free trade and supply chains, hooked on the efficiency.
But Trump stormed in during 2017, firing the first shot at China with 2018 tariffs. This wasn't just bluster; it targeted China's rise, using export bans on chips and tech to throttle growth.
Fast-forward to February 2022: Russia's Ukraine conflict triggers the West's harshest sanctions yet. The US-led bloc froze Russia's $300 billion central bank reserves, a stark alert to the Global South that no one's assets are safe.
The UK piled on, locking down "Russian oligarch" holdings under the 2019 Russia (Sanctions) (Post-Brexit) Regulations. Take Roman Abramovich: Owner of Chelsea FC, he was forced to sell the club for £2.5 billion in 2022, but the cash sits frozen, per UK Treasury disclosures. London claims Putin ties, yet offers zero public evidence linking him directly. Why move assets to the UK if a single decree can snatch them? It spooks anyone parking money there.
Even Switzerland's famed neutrality crumbled, aligning with EU sanctions despite no formal membership—freezing over CHF 7.4 billion ($9.2 billion) in Russian assets by March 2023, as the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs reported. Baffling? Absolutely. Neutrality was their brand; now it's a joke.
Assets on the Run
These cracks make Western hubs look like traps for Global South players. One US sanction call, and allies echo it, icing government and private funds. The fix? Spread risks to steadier spots like Hong Kong—neutral, connected, and tied to China's stability.
Trump's second act piles on the damage, gutting US science and tech. Since his January 2025 inauguration, he's slashed new energy subsidies by billions, and hammered universities, axing federal research funds.
The National Institutes of Health alone halted 2,100 projects worth $9.5 billion, hitting gender studies, climate health effects, Alzheimer's, and cancer work, as NIH memos confirm. Silicon Valley's biotech VCs reel: Government-backed ventures now starve, sparking an exodus of US scientists to safer shores.
This mess forces the Global South—including China—to redraw the map. The old guard of US-steered centers? Exposed as fragile illusions. Hong Kong emerges as the smart pivot: A hub for finance, education, tech, and organizations, luring branches with headquarters potential, talent, and capital. China's International Mediation Institute already bases in Wan Chai, per its founding charter—a blueprint for more.
Kick off with the International Mediation Institute, add AIIB's regional office, and watch the dominoes: More groups follow, cementing Hong Kong as a multifaceted powerhouse. China's backing ensures resilience against Western whims, turning opportunity into reality.
Lo Wing-hung
