As the first organisation to advocate for the rights of British National (Overseas) status holders back in 2017, we successfully campaigned for the introduction of the BNO visa scheme in 2020 and its expansion for eligible young Hong Kongers in 2022.

In 2021, Canada introduced a lifeboat policy offering eligible Hong Kongers a lifeline out of the city. Through our continuous engagement, in 2023, we successfully campaigned for the Canadian government to extend and expand the Open Work Permit scheme, and remove the education requirement under Stream B to allow more Hong Kongers to apply for permanent residency.

In 2023, we saw success in our home fees campaign as the Scottish government changed its policy to grant home fee status at Higher Education institutions to BNO visa holders after three years of residency in Scotland.

Following a Hong Kong Watch briefing on the ties between Canadian investment funds and human rights violations in the PRC and a series of Special Committee hearings, at least 4 Canadian pension funds have ceased, paused or reduced their investments in China.

Working with allies in the US Congress, HKW helped draft and pass the Hong Kong Autonomy Act, sanctioning individuals and companies responsible for undermining Hong Kong’s autonomy. We have also been a vocal voice for Magnitsky sanctions with allies in the UK, Canada, and EU Parliaments as well, including getting our sanctions list incorporated into the EU Parliament’s joint-resolution on Hong Kong.

Hong Kong Watch successfully campaigned for the suspension of extradition treaties with Hong Kong in Canada, New Zealand, USA, UK, Australia, Germany, Ireland, Finland, the Netherlands, Czech Republic, and France. We also ensured the EU Parliament has included calls for EU Member States to suspend extradition with the PRC in two joint-resolutions.

Hong Kong Watch organised the largest international statement condemning the introduction of the National Security Law, signed by 904 parliamentarians and policymakers from 43 countries.

HKW produced in-depth research on ‘Why Hong Kong Matters’ looking at the continual role of Hong Kong as a financial centre for raising foreign capital for mainland China, regular reports on the latest developments in Hong Kong under the National Security Law, analysis on the Government’s BNO proposal, the work of the United Front, the impact of Chinese foreign direct investment on the EU’s response to the human rights crisis in Hong Kong, and debunking the public health claims for postponement of LegCo elections. We also produced explainers on the Canadian ‘Young Talents Scheme’, the Hong Kong Autonomy Act, and the gaps that exist when it comes to the current lifeboat policy announcements.

Articles drafted by Hong Kong Watch featured regularly in the Diplomat, Foreign Affairs Magazine, the Financial Times, the Spectator, the Times Redbox, Apple Daily, and the Wall Street Journal.

HKW has also created a youtube interview series titled ‘in conversation with Benedict Rogers’ which has featured a mixture of prominent pro-democracy activists and international policymakers discussing the situation in Hong Kong, including: Martin Lee, Nathan Law, Emily Lau, Ted Hui, Jimmy Lai, Miriam Lexmann MEP, Stephen Kinnock MP, Jung Hoon-Lee, Sir Malcolm Rifkind, Bill Browder, Derek Mitchell, and Ambassador Sam Brownback.

We have briefed more than 200 parliamentarians alongside leading pro-democracy activists in the last year spanning the UK, USA, Canada, EU, Germany, Australian and New Zealand.

We coordinated 3 open letters signed by parliamentarians on Magnitsky sanctions (UK & Canada, 4 parliamentary letters on freeing 12 HK Youths (UK, Canada, EU, & International), 1 UN Special Rapporteur letter on creation of a UN Special Rapporteur/Envoy for Hong Kong, and 1 international letter on the National Security Law.

HKW gave evidence to the Canada-China Relations Committee in the Canadian Parliament, the Senate Judiciary Committee in the US Congress, and to the Home Affairs Select Committee in the UK Parliament.

Working with allies in the European Parliament, we helped draft 3 urgency resolutions on Hong Kong, ensuring that our core campaigns on sanctions, extradition, lifeboat, and the UN Special Rapporteur were included.

We held 6 webinars and 3 in person events in 2020 covering the launch of our ‘Why Hong Kong Matters’ Report, BNO, Magnitsky sanctions, and a joint-event with the Bar Human Rights Committee of England and Wales, as well as a number of private briefings between pro-democracy activists and parliamentarians, policymakers, and diplomats.