SECRET
Government already regard all Hong Kong Chinese as Chinese citizens there might be scope for an
agreement whereby all persons connected with
Hong Kong by birth, descent, marriage etc should (with appropriate exceptions) be formally
accorded the status of citizens of the PRC, it
being understood that they would not thereby be
precluded from possessing in addition a British
citizenship, such as BDTC or BPP, or a local
Hong Kong citizenship. There is no impediment to 'dual citizenship' in UK law, but the
PRC's Nationality Law, promulgated in 1980, specifically excludes this
concept.
EMIES,
B.
12
Hong Kong as a Special Administrative Region (SAR)
1. The options described above would theoretically be open if
Hong Kong became formally a Special Administrative Region, so
long as Britain retained responsibility for (or responsibility
for the conduct of) external affairs. But it might be less easy
to negotiate the retention of the status quo (option 1), or
variants of it (options 2, 3, 4 and 5). The Chinese might
press for exclusive Chinese citizenship (option 7). A local
Hong Kong citizenship (option 6) or dual citizenship (option 8)
could be negotiable.
British Nationals
1312.
Whatever citizenship is decided on, Hong Kong are likely
to press for some kind of declaration (preferably statutory)
Bir at least the BDTCs in
(BDTES
that the people of Hong Kong are 'British nationals'. "Andy
such in their passports). course, alieady deserted
،އ
They
"Daddy
ан
}
/In
· 6
SECRET