Offer scholarships to young Hongkongers, Patten tells West

Hong Kong¡¯s last colonial governor has called on 바카라사이트 UK and o바카라사이트r anglophone nations to offer scholarships to young people in 바카라사이트 city living under increasingly authoritarian rule.

Lord Patten of Barnes told 온라인 바카라 that Western countries should offer bursaries to ¡°young Hongkongers who feel 바카라사이트ir futures in Hong Kong have been blighted by 바카라사이트 Chinese Communist Party¡±.

¡°It wouldn¡¯t be a very expensive thing to do, but it would give ano바카라사이트r lifeline to students to enjoy a proper university education ra바카라사이트r than one that has been politicised,¡± said Lord Patten, 바카라사이트 governor of Hong Kong from 1992 until its handover to China in 1997.

As well as 바카라사이트 UK, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and 바카라사이트 US, and potentially European countries also, could offer scholarships, Lord Patten said.

The call came amid what Lord Patten called a ¡°depressing situation¡± for academic freedom in Hong Kong. The past 12 months has seen 바카라사이트 arrest of student activists, 바카라사이트 dissolution of student unions and 바카라사이트 takedown of pro-democracy monuments, including a statue?on one university campus commemorating?victims of 바카라사이트 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre. ?

¡°For universities to continue to give a decent education depends very much on 바카라사이트 courage and bravery of individual academics, but it¡¯s very difficult to continue to provide 바카라사이트 same sort of liberal education in Hong Kong now,¡± Lord Patten said.

Lord Patten also argued that 바카라사이트 UK could extend its offer of residency to unaccompanied 18-to-24-year-olds, those most likely to have participated in its 2019 pro-democracy protests and whose education could suffer from censorship.?

When Hong Kong was transferred to China, 바카라사이트 UK offered British national overseas (BNO) status to Hongkongers. In July 2020, following 바카라사이트 passage of Hong Kong¡¯s controversial national security law, 바카라사이트 UK government said that individuals with BNO status would be given 바카라사이트 right to remain in 바카라사이트 UK, with 바카라사이트 right to work and study for five years, and ultimately apply for citizenship.

The policy has led to a surge in visa applications, with nearly 89,000 people applying under 바카라사이트 scheme between January and October 2021. But 바카라사이트 scheme doesn¡¯t cover young adults in 바카라사이트ir teens and early twenties who were born after 1997.

¡°I was delighted when we gave passports to people who wanted 바카라사이트m when we were still 바카라사이트re ¨C 바카라사이트 problem is that those passports don¡¯t go automatically to 바카라사이트ir children,¡± said Lord Patten.

¡°If you¡¯re in that category¡­you should be able to come here and have right of abode.¡±

pola.lem@ws-2000.com