in
one of the specific purposes of HMG's passing the Nationality Act 1981 was to "shut the door" against Hong Kong Chinese still runs deep. There is great anxiety about the real value of the new BN (O) passport: and fear that it will be regarded with great suspicion by immigration authorities of thir countries. There is likely to be
strong pressure for an assurance that HMG will insist on a formula
which will declare in
in the passport that the holder has the right of abode in Hong Kong and will not be content with a formula which refers only to a Hong Kong identity card. The Indian community will continue to express concern about possible statelessness for succeeding generations.
8.
On Vietnamese refugees, Mr Renton will
Renton will probably be asked to give an account of the state of play in persuading other countries to accept larger numbers of such refugees from Hong Kong and it may
well be suggested that if other countries do not come up with
enlarged quotas HMG should itself increase its intake beyond
beyond the "family reunion"
reunion" cases already agreed.
9.
battalion has been
The reduction of the garrison by on e
received calmly. There may be requests for an assurance which Mr
Renton can give that there will be no precipitate withdrawal of the
remaining garrison.
10. Among economic issues Hong Kong's
issues Hong Kong's main concern at the present
time is the growth of protectionist sentiment in the United State
and particularly the Thurmond/Jenkins Bill. Although there is every
indication that the president will veto the bill and that there will
not be sufficient votes to override his veto, there is a fear that
in the subsequent political bargaining some measure detrimental to
the entry of Hong Kong's exports to the United States, particularly
of garments, will still be agreed. (The representations to be made
by Mr Brittan in Washington during his visit there from 29 - 30
October will be helpful on this.) Mr Renton may be
be asked about
progress in the Joint Liaison Group on the preservation of Hong
Kong's GATT status after 1997.
11. Mr Renton will meet members of the
wide
cross-section of
community
leaders.
business
-
community and a
He will have lunch with