News Mash-up: China Crackdowns

UK opens new visa route for HK residents Hong Kong residents can apply for a new visa offering them an opportunity to become British citizens after Beijing’s imposition of a national security law in the Asian financial hub last year. The move comes as China and Hong Kong said Jan. 31 they will no longer recognize the British National Overseas (BNO) passport as a valid travel document. The U.K. government forecasts the new visa could attract more than 300,000 people and their dependents to Britain. Beijing said it would make them second-class citizens. (Reuters) China accuses reporter of spreading secrets China has formally arrested a Chinese-born Australian journalist for CGTN, the English-language channel of China Central Television, on suspicion of illegally supplying state secrets overseas, Australia’s foreign minister said Feb. 8. The arrest of Cheng Lei on Feb. 5 starts an official criminal investigation and came six months after she was detained. The charges, which could result in a penalty of life in prison or even death, are highly unusual for an employee of a media outlet tightly controlled by China’s ruling Communist Party. (AP) These articles were provided by The Japan Times Alpha.