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PASSPORTS WILL CONTAIN AN ENDORSEMENT SHOWING THAT THE HOLDER HAS A
PERMANENT IDENTITY CARD AS EVIDENCE OF HIS RIGHT OF ABODE
(B) Q. HOW LONG WILL SAR RESIDENTS BE PERMITTED TO REMAIN
OUTSIDE THE SAR BEFORE LOSING RESIDENCE RIGHTS BOTH BEFORE AND
AFTER 1997? WILL DIFFERENT RULES APPLY TO THOSE RESIDENTS WHO
ARE PRC CITIZENS AGAINST THOSE WHO ARE NOT?
A. WE DON'T KNOW. THIS IS A MATTER ULTIMATELY FOR THE
PRC GOVERNMENT TO DECIDE ALTHOUGH WE EXPECT TO BE IN CONTACT WITH
THEM ON THIS POINT BEFORE 1997. IT SHOULD BE UNDERSTOOD HOWEVER
THAT AS THE SAR DOES NOT COME INTO EXISTENCE UNTIL 1 JULY 1997, ABSENCE FROM HONG KONG AND POSSIBLE LOSS OF RESIDENCE STATUS
BEFORE THAT DATE WILL BE SUBJECT TO HONG KONG LEGISLATION AND NOT
SAR LEGISLATION. AS ALL BN (0)S WILL RETAIN BDTC STATUS UNTIL 30
JUNE 1997 THEY WILL AUTOMATICALLY RETAIN THE RIGHT OF ABODE IN
HONG KONG WHICH GOES WITH THE LATTER STATUS UNTIL THAT DATE.
AFTER THAT DATE THE CONTINUATION OF A PERSON'S RIGHT OF ABODE (IN
THE HONG KONG SAR) WILL BE GOVERNED BY THE CRITERIA LAID DOWN IN
SECTION XIV OF ANNEX I TO THE JOINT DECLARATION. ACCORDING TO
THIS SECTION THE CRITERIA FOR HAVING THE RIGHT OF ABODE IN THE
HONG KONG SAR ARE DIFFERENT FOR CHINESE NATIONALS AND NON-CHINESE
NATIONALS BUT WE DO NOT KNOW WHETHER THE CRITERIA FOR LOSS OF
RIGHT OF ABODEWILL BE DIFFERENT ALSO. BUT IN ANY EVENT WHATEVER
THE CRITERIA FOR LOSS OF RIGHT OF ABODE IN THE HONG KONG SAR WILL
BE, IT MUST BE CONTINGENT UPON A PERSON HAVING THE RIGHT TO
RESIDE SOMEWHERE ELSE.
(C) Q. WHAT STATUS WILL THE PRC PASSPORT AVAILABLE TO
SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION RESIDENTS HAVE AFTER 1997 WILL
THIS BE EQUIVALENT TO AN ORDINARY PRC PASSPORT?
A. THIS IS A MATTER FOR THE PRC AUTHORITIES. BUT
SECTION XIV OF ANNEX I TO THE JOINT DECLARATION STATES THAT THEY
WILL BE PASSPORTS OF THE HONG KONG SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION
OF THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA AND THEY WILL BE VALID FOR ALL
STATES AND REGIONS AND SHALL RECORD THE HOLDER'S RIGHT TO RETURN
TO THE HONG KONG SAR. IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT SECTION XIV OF
ANNEX I TO THE JOINT DECLARATION STIPULATES THAT QUOTE ENTRY INTO
THE HONG KONG SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION OF PERSONS FROM OTHER
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CONFIDENTIAL