CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
FM PEKING
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 2076
OF 280941Z NOVEMBER 89
нко 340/18
TOP CUPY
Q DIST ?
INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG, UKREP JLG HONG KONG
043105
MDHIAN 6442
YOUR TELNO 2378 TO HONG KONG : NATIONALITY PACKAGE : CHINESE ATTITUDES.
1. WE AGREE WITH THE ASSESSMENT IN PARA 2 OF TUR OF FUNDAMENTAL CHINESE CONCERNS, PARTICULARLY THE SECOND. THEIR MAIN CONCERN IS PROBABLY A STRONG WISH TO AVOID A SITUATION AFTER 1997 WHEREBY A GREATLY ENLARGED NUMBER OF HONG KONG RESIDENTS, PARTICULARLY ETHNIC CHINESE, HOLD FOREIGN PASPORTS DESPITE THE PROVISIONS OF THE NATIONALITY LAW DISALLOWING DUAL NATIONALITY AND SPECIFYING THAT FOR ETHNIC CHINESE RESIDENCE IN HONG KONG CANNOT BE REGARDED AS ''SETTLEMENT ABROAD. WE JUDGE THEY WOULD BE UNLIKELY TO ACCEPT SUCH A DEVELOPMENT. BUT IN THE ABSENCE OF ANY DETAILED EXCHANGES WITH THE CHINESE ON THIS ISSUE SO FAR, IT IS DIFFICULT TO GAUGE WITH CONFIDENCE EITHER THE FULL EXTENT OF THEIR CONCERNS OR TO WHAT DEGREE THEY WILL BE PREPARED TO ADOPT A PRAGMATIC APPROACH.
2. UNLESS JLG XIV SETTLES DOWN QUICKLY TO PRACTICAL WORK, WE THINK IT LIKELY THAT THE CHINESE WILL BE INCLINED AT LEAST INITIALLY TO VIEW THE NATIONALITY PACKAGE WITH SUSPICION AS A FURTHER ATTEMPT BY THE UK TO RETAIN UNDUE INFLUENCE IN HONG KONG AFTER 1997. THIS WOULD SEEM PARTICULARLY LIKELY IF THE CHINESE SAW THE PACKAGE AS ENVISAGING A FORM OF FOREIGN NATIONALITY HELD BY THOSE CONTINUING TO RESIDE IN HONG KONG AND DESIGNED TO PROVIDE CONSULAR OR OTHER PROTECTION IN THE TERRITORY ITSELF AFTER 1997. CHINESE CONCERNS OVER SOVEREIGNTY AND QUOTE
INTERNATIONALISATION UNQUOTE ARE LIKELY TO BE MAJOR ELEMENTS IN THEIR CURRENT THINKING.
3. APPARENT CHINESE UNCERTAINTY OVER HOW TO PROCEED MIGHT STEM IN LARGE MEASURE FROM (A) THE FACT THAT WE HAVE NOT YET REVEALED THE PROPOSED PACKAGE TO THEM IN ANY DETAIL EG WILL BENEFICIARIES HOLD AN IOU PROMISING RIGHTS OF ABODE OR SOME MORE TANGIBLE PROOF OF ACTUAL RIGHT OF ABODE AND (B) THE THOUGHT THAT OUR SCHEME MIGHT NOT, IN FACT, BE AS FRAUGHT WITH INSUPERABLE POLITICAL OR LEGAL PROBLEMS AS THEY SUSPECT.
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