ARZALL
CONFIDENTIAL
b) Passports for Hong Kong Chinese entrepreneurs
Have noted your proposal to the Prime Minister that we should
aim to attract up to 100 or so Hong Kong Chinese entrepreneurs by
offering them the certainty of a passport provided they made
suitable investment in UK.
Existing nationality and immigration legislation would not permit us to do this. Prime Minister has already agreed that it
would not be practicable to amend primary legislation for this
purpose.
Most anxious to avoid impression that we are seeking to cream
off funds and entrepreneurial talent from Hong Kong: could be
interpreted as undermining Hong Kong's future and contrary to our obligations under Joint Declaration.
Believe that existing arrangements, if applied with
flexibility, should ensure that we obtain reasonable share of
entrepreneurial talent leaving Hong Kong. Our terms are broadly as
favourable as those of other countries (Australia, Canada etc).
Right that we should make sure that potential investors
worldwide understand what is possible under our rules. Home Office
have prepared detailed guidance notes on this. Suggest that copies
of these notes could be handed to selected MPs with good Hong Kong
links. Must however proceed discreetly: essential not to be seen
to be targeting individuals in Hong Kong.
(c)
Future British Consulate-General
Projections
Planning for Consulate-General already in hand.
show that it will be sizeable mission (larger than Embassy in
Peking).
Wish to have well-located and reasonably prominent offices ("presence with dignity"). Thinking in terms of "Britannia House
CONFIDENTIAL
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