NOTES FOR SUPPLEMENTARIES
1.
2.
WHAT ARE THE REASONS FOR REFUSING
THIS REQUEST?
WHY WILL HMG NOT ACCEPT THEIR
MORAL RESPONSIBILITY TO THE
NON-ETHNIC CHINESE?
British citizenship does not properly reflect
the position of the ethnic minorities in Hong
Kong: nor can it secure their position there.
Their future in Hong Kong can only be secured
by the Agreement with the Chinese Government:
this guarantees them the right to live in Hong
Kong.
All British Dependent
Territories citizens connected with Hong Kong
will up to July 1997 have the right to be British
Nationals (Overseas). But any who do not do
so, or whose children or grandchildren later
risk statelessness can become British Overseas
citizens. This properly reflects their position
in Hong Kong. It would be wrong to treat them
differently from the many thousands of other
British Overseas citizens throughout the world;
and it is not necessary in order to give them
what they say they want an accepted nationality
status and a home in Hong Kong.
-
We accept and are meeting our responsibility
for all British Dependent Territories citizens
in Hong Kong. Order provides that all Hong
Kong British Dependent Territories citizens,
whatever their ethnic origins, will be entitled
to British National (Overseas) status and to
the passport that goes with it. In 1997, only
those who have not become British Nationals
(Overseas) will become British Overseas citizens.
We have recognized and fully met our
responsibilities to the people of Hong Kong,
including those British Dependent Territories
citizens who are not ethnically Chinese.
1 -