CONFIDENTIAL
British citizens similar to the proposed entitlement to BOC status. After
that there is no automatic claim nor entitlement to registration as a British citizen. There is therefore no advantage for future generations by conferring British citizenship on the non-ethnic Chinese community in Hong
Kong.
20.
The provisions in Article 6 and those in the agreement need to be considered together. They provide a recognised nationality status, that of British Overseas citizen, which properly reflects a persons relationship with Britain; and they ensure that no BDTC in Hong Kong will be at risk of becoming stateless. The right of abode provisions agreed with the Chinese Government provide the best guarantee possible that those established in Hong Kong and their children will be able to continue to live there. There is no other satisfactory or reliable way to provide people in Hong Kong with what they want - the right of abode there otherwise than through this firm agreement with the Chinese. In the unlikely event of any British national being forced to leave Hong Kong and having nowhere to go, however, the Government have made it clear, and I want to repeat again, that we would expect the Government of the day to consider sympathetically whether to admit such people on a case by case basis in the light of the particular circumstances.
21.
As Ministers made clear during the debate on the Hong Kong Bill, the Government's view is that the right course for those who have permanently settled in what will by then have been part of China for many years is for them to apply to become Chinese nationals. We have discussed this with the Chinese Government in the Sino-British Joint Liaison Group, and they have confirmed that Chinese nationality laws allow people living in China who are stateless to apply for Chinese nationality, and that their cases would be dealt with by the appropriate authorities. They will not of course be compelled to apply for Chinese nationality.
22. I believe therefore that the proposals in the draft Order, taken together with the guarantees given in the agreement go as far as we sensibly can in ensuring that all British Dependent Territories citizens resident in Hong Kong regardless of their ethnic origin or future citizenship status are ensured of a satisfactory and secure future there and that the provisions are fair
as between them all.
6