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no automatic claim nor entitlement to registration as a
British citizen. There is therefore no advantage for future
generations in terms of avoiding statelessness or securing
their future in Hong Kong by conferring British citizenship
on the non-ethnic Chinese Community in Hong Kong.
On the other hand the Draft White Paper does contain provisions
to avoid statelessness which carry us into the middle
of the next century by which time one would expect those
permanently settled in what by then will have been part
of China for many years to have applied to become Chinese
nationals. 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 the Chinese nationality law may 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.
As to the right of abode provisions agreed with the Chinese
Government they 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