The U.K. has terrible weather. Taxes are high, job prospects scarce, and the people aren¡¯t all that friendly. Moving there could also put your Chinese citizenship at risk.

At least that is how things are being portrayed in China-friendly Hong Kong newspaper editorials and online chat rooms, and by senior officials in Hong Kong. When Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced last July the U.K. would open a gateway to people to become British citizens, so began the drum beat as to why relocating would be a poor decision.

In recent weeks as the window opened for holders of British National (Overseas) passports to gain long-term visas ¡ª the first step toward citizenship ¡ª that rhetoric has darkened to include threats that Hong Kongers who apply could end up stateless.