E.K.
I shall, of course, listen carefully to what your Lordships have to
say. But I have to tell your Lordhsips that the Government is
not persuaded that it would be right to grant British citizenship
to non-ethnic Chinese British Dependent Territories citizens.
They want to continue to live and work in Hong Kong, and this is
guaranteed by the agreement. Nor would the granting of British
citizenship be of any advantage to future generations. 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 British
Overseas citizen status. After that there is no automatic claim
to British citizenship, nor entitlement to registration.
Conferring British citizenship on non-ethnic Chinese British
Dependent Territories citizens in Hong Kong would give future
generations no advantage in avoiding statelessness or securing
their future in Hong Kong.
The Government's proposals, together with the agreement, will
provide all Hong Kong British Dependent Territories citizens with
a recognised nationality status and a place to call their home.
As was 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, although they will not, of course, be compelled to do
SO. We have discussed this with the Chinese Government in the
Sino-British Joint Liaison Group, and they have confirmed that
non-Chinese who meet the legal requirements under Chinese
nationality law may apply for Chinese nationality and their cases will be dealt with by the appropriate authorities.
As to the former servicemen, we recognise of course the valiant and
gallant contribution they made during the War. But many of them
were born in Hong Kong as were their ancestors.
Most are
/British.....