CONFIDENTIAL
55995
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ONLY IN HONG KONG SHALL CONTINUE TO HAVE THAT RIGHT AFTER 1997. THEREFORE THOSE BN (0)S WHO LOSE THE RIGHT OF ABODE IN OR AFTER 1997 WILL IN PRACTICE ONLY BE THOSE WITH THAT RIGHT SOMEWHERE ELSE. THE NOTE SENT TO MISSIONS IN LONDON AND THE ANNEX TO THIS LETTER BOTH REFER TO THE LIKELY EXISTENCE AFTER 1997 OF THIS ANOMALOUS GROUP. IN VIEW OF THE SMALL NUMBERS WHO WILL BE AFFECTED (WE ESTIMATE OF THE ORDER OF 0.01 PER CENT OF ALL POTENTIAL BN(0)S) WE DO NOT WANT TO DRAW PARTICULAR ATTENTION TO A POINT OF SUCH LIMITED PRACTICAL SIGNIFICANCE. ON THE OTHER HAND WE WOULD NOT WANT TO GIVE THE MISLEADING IMPRESSION THAT THE PROBLEM DID NOT EXIST. IF ASKED FURTHER ABOUT EXCEPTIONS TO THE RULE OF RETURNABILITY TO HONG KONG AMONG BN(0)S AFTER 1997 YOU MAY DRAW ON THE ABOVE IN EXPLANATION, BUT PLEASE ALSO EMPHASISE:
(A)
THE VERY SMALL NUMBERS LIKELY TO BE INVOLVED:
(B)
5.
THE FACT THAT SUCH PEOPLE (NEXT WORD UNDERLINED) MUST HAVE THE RIGHT OF ABODE (AND HENCE BE RETURNABLE)
ELSEWHERE.
A FURTHER POINT YOU SHOULD EMPHASISE IS THAT AFTER 1997 THERE WILL CONTINUE TO BE CONTROL OF MOVEMENT ACROSS THE BORDER BETWEEN THE SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION AND THE REST OF CHINA. SECTION XIV OF ANNEX I TO THE JOINT DECLARATION STIPULATES THAT:
QUOTE. ENTRY INTO THE HONG KONG SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION OF PERSONS FROM OTHER PARTS OF CHINA SHALL CONTINUE TO BE REGULATED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PRESENT
PRACTICE. UNQUOTE.
THERE CAN THUS BE NO QUESTION OF MAINLAND CHINESE RESIDENTS ENTERING HONG KONG IN ORDER TO ACQUIRE TRAVEL DOCUMENTS WHICH MIGHT BE OF MORE PRACTICAL VALUE THAN PRC DOCUMENTS.
6.
MORE GENERALLY, YOU SHOULD RECALL THAT THE JOINT DECLARATION OF THE GOVERNMENT OF THE UNITED KINGDOM OF GREAT BRITAIN AND NORTHERN IRELAND AND THE GOVERNMENT OF THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA ON THE QUESTION OF HONG KONG WAS WELCOMED IN HONG KONG AND VERY WIDELY THROUGHOUT THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY. MANY FOREIGN GOVERNMENTS EXPRESSED THEIR SUPPORT FOR THE JOINT DECLARATION AND WHAT IT SEEKS TO ACHIEVE. (IT WOULD BE
PARTICULARLY EFFECTIVE IF YOU CAN POINT TO EXPRESSIONS OF SUPPORT
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CONFIDENTIAL