Sir,
UMELCO RESTRICTED
DRAFT SPEECH BY HON MRS SELINA CHOW, JP
LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
6.2.85
Adjournment Debate on the proposed title of British National (Overseas)
Annex I Section 14 of the Sino-British Joint
Declaration states :
"For the purpose of travelling to and from the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, residents of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region may use travel documents issued by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government, or by other competent authorities of the People's Republic of China, or of other states. Holders of permanent identity cards of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region may have this
fact stated in their travel documents as evidence that the holders have the right of abode in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region."
On the face of it, the above excerpt does provide some assurance to holders of travel documents issued by both the
Hong Kong SAR government as well as governments of other
states. The latter category would of course include present BDTCS who will be known as British Nationals (Overseas).
However as such travel documents are primarily for the consumption of immigration authorities of third countries into which their holders may wish to enter, it must be made absolutely clear and beyond doubt that these holders have the right of abode in Hong Kong. I am afraid a simple numerical reference to the I.D. card or an endorsement stating only that the holder also holds a permanent Hong Kong I.D. card in the
UMELCO RESTRICTED