China threatens UK with retaliation after it offers Hong Kong residents right to settle

China has threatened the UK with retaliation after it offered three million Hong Kong residents the right to settle in Britain – amid growing outrage over the sweeping new anti-sedition law imposed on the territory by Beijing.

Human rights activists fear the new legislation will be used to round up pro-democracy protesters – and say Hongkongers should be able to seek refuge abroad. But China has condemned what it called foreign meddling in Hong Kong’s affairs.