State responsibility: Explaining the UK’s exclusive citizenship provision to Hong Kong British National Overseas

What explains the United Kingdom’s (UK) exclusive citizenship provision to British National Overseas (BNOs) in response to the National Security Law? This paper argues that the citizenship offer reflects both the distribution of international legal responsibilities and London’s perception of where these responsibilities primarily lie. Legally, while dual Hong Kong Special Administration Region (HKSAR) and BNO passport holders are British nationals whom the UK owes a primary duty to protect, offering humanitarian assistance to those with HKSAR (only) is a collective responsibility under the Refugee Convention. Domestically, whereas London views helping BNOs as its own “historic responsibility,” affording protections to HKSARs is perceived as a shared duty of the international community. This article backs up its argument with empirical evidence from UK parliamentary debates and reactions.