agreement of the
Government of the PRC to exercise such
discretion in favour of those Hong Kong Indians who are at
present BDTCs or their descendants. Baroness Young said "I
accept that it will be necessary for the Government to
undertake further discussions with the Chinese Government
about how such persons might acquire Chinese nationality".
By a letter dated 6th November 1985 David Waddington M.P.,
Minister of
State for the Home Office, wrote to the Rt.
Hon. James Prior, M.P. "This is a matter we are pursuing in
discussion with the Chinese Government". It is apparent
from this correspondence that HMG have only very recently
even commenced discussions with the Chinese Government on
this subject, and there is no indication that any progress
has been made.
10.2D
In that
same letter, Mr. Waddington wrote "There
will of course be no question of compelling such people to
become Chinese nationals". Since, however, HMG has not
hitherto shown itself prepared to guarantee any form of
British nationality beyond three generations, such a choice
(if available) will be compulsory for any Hong Kong Indian
who wishes to avoid becoming stateless.
10.2E
In any event it is Britain, not China, who should
be responsible for the welfare of Indian former BDTCs and
any approach to another Government to grant
would represent
a
serious
abdication
citizenship
of
that
responsibility.
10.3
Baroness
Young
suggested that the grant to Hong
Kong Indians of the right of abode in the United Kingdom
would "suggest that we (i.e. HMG) are not confident that
the conditions in Hong Kong after 1997 will be such as to
permit them to remain there. This is not the belief of the
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