CONFIDENTIAL
5555 - 1
THEIR FUTURE IN HONG KONG, WHICH IS WHERE THEY WISH TO CONTINUE TO LIVE. THIS IS SECURED BY THE AGREEMENT. FURTHERMORE, BRITISH CITIZENSHIP WOULD NOT BENEFIT FUTURE GENERATIONS ANY MORE THAN
THE PRESENT PROPOSALS. BRITISH CITIZENSHIP CAN BE TRANSMITTED TO
ONLY ONE GENERATION BORN ABROAD. THE SECOND GENERATION HAS AN
ENTITLEMENT TO REGISTRATION AS 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 CHIENSE 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
3
CONFIDENTIAL