8
British Overseas citizenship at birth; and any of their
grandchildren, if born stateless, will be entitled to
be registered as British Overseas citizens. Thus, non-ethnic
Chinese BDTCs will be entitled to BN (0) status but if for
any reason they do not become BN (0)s, they will nevertheless have a recognised nationality status, and so will their
descendants until well into the middle of the next century.
The Government recognise, of course, that nationality status
alone is not sufficient. It is equally important that those now established in Hong Kong should continue to have
right of abode there. Clearly, right of abode in Hong Kong after June 1997 cannot be secured by holding any form of British nationality, since Hong Kong will no longer be part of British territory. For this reason the agreement made separate provisions to safeguard rights of abode in Hong Kong. These are set out in Section XIV of Annex I to the Joint Declaration. As far as the non- ethnic Chinese community is concerned,
right of abode is guaranteed to all those
who have been ordinarily resident for seven years in Hong Kong either before or after the establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, and who have taken it as their place of permanent residence. The same guarantee extends to their children born in Hong Kong; and also to
/anyone
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