China threatened to retaliate after Britain announced that it could grant citizenship to Hong Kong people if Beijing did not withdraw new security laws for the special zone.

Beijing "has the right to take appropriate countermeasures," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Zhao Lian Jian told a news conference on May 29.

The National People's Congress, the Chinese parliament, yesterday passed a resolution establishing the Hong Kong security law, banning separatist acts, activities, subversion, terrorism and interference in foreign countries.

He joined the United States, Canada and Australia yesterday to issue a joint resolution expressing deep concern when "mainland China decided to impose a new security law with Hong Kong".

British officials have repeatedly expressed deep concern about the Hong Kong security bill, warning of the risk of undermining the principle of "one country, two regimes".

The BNO was issued to Hong Kong people born before 1997, when the British handed over Hong Kong to mainland China.