Newsday - US grants temporary visa extension to HK citizens - BBC Sounds

US President Joe Biden has announced that thousands of Hong Kong residents will be offered a temporary "safe haven" in the US.

Mr Biden said there were "compelling foreign policy reasons" for the move and cited the territory's ongoing freedoms being violated by Beijing.

The US would allow visitors to stay for a period of 18 months and it could impact on thousands of Hong Kong residents already in the country - many on work, student and other temporary permits.

Samuel Chu, the founder and managing director of the Hong Kong Democracy Council, a Washington DC based non-profit organisation dedicated to promoting democracy and human rights in Hong Kong spoke to Newsday explaining that "this is one way that the US has stepped up its obligation to Hong Kongers".

Chinese officials describes the America's policy move as a gross interference in Chinese affairs.