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003222 MDLIAN 3933
ITS INAPPROPRIATE USE WOULD AFFECT THE STABILITY OF THE HONG KONG CURRENCY. MEDIA REPORTS (8.12) NOTED THAT FINANCIAL SECRETARY, SIR PIERS JACOBS, HAD IMPLIED THAT IF THE GOVERNMENT ISSUED BONDS IN FUTURE TO FUND THE NEW AIRPORT PROJECT, IT WOULD TAKE THE FORM OF EXCHANGE FUND BILL.
NATIONALITY
18. THE MEDIA FOLLOWED CLOSELY THE DEVELOPMENTS IN THE BRITISH NATIONALITY APPLICATIONS AND NOTED THAT AS OF DECEMBER 10, 161 APPLICATIONS HAD BEEN RETURNED. THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF ADMINISTRATION, REGINA IP, WAS QUOTED AS SAYING, THAT SIGNS WERE EMERGING THAT THE EMIGRATION TREND HAD SLIGHTLY EASED IN RECENT MONTHS BUT THAT IT WAS STILL TOO EARLY TO DRAW ANY CONCLUSION.
U.S. VISAS
19. QUOTING THE CHIEF OF THE CONSULAR SECTION OF THE U.S. CONSULATE IN HONG KONG, RICHARD H. WILLIAMS, SOME PAPERS REPORTED THAT SINCE THE U.S. IMMIGRATION ACT 1990 CAME INTO FORCE, ONLY ABOUT 20 PER CENT OF THE VISA APPLICANTS HAD CHOSEN TO DEFER THEIR DEPARTURE FOR THE U.S. UNTIL JANUARY 1, 2001. IN THE ATV- WORLD'S 'NEWSLINE' PROGRAMME (8.12), MR WILLIAMS SAID THAT RECIPIENTS OF AMERICAN VISAS UNDER THE NEW U.S. IMMIGRATION ACT WOULD NOT ENJOY CONSULAR PROTECTION BEFORE THEY SETTLED IN THE COUNTRY BUT THAT THE FORMER VICE-DIRECTOR OF THE HONG KONG AND MACAU AFFAIRS OFFICE, LI HOU, HAD TOLD HIM THAT HOLDERS OF U.S. VISAS WOULD HAVE NO PROBLEM IN LEAVING THE TERRITORY AFTER 1997 AS BOTH THE JD AND THE BASIC LAW GUARANTEED THE FREEDOM OF ENTRY AND DEPARTURE.
ECONOMIC LOSS
20. THE SUNDAY STANDARD (9.12) REPORTED THAT HONG KONG WAS LOSING NEARLY HKD15.5 BILLION A YEAR TO CANADA AND AUSTRALIA THROUGH BUSINESS MIGRATION PROGRAMMES.
SOUTH AFRICA
21. ATV (8.12) AND SOME PAPERS (9.12) REPORTED THAT IN A BID TO LURE MORE INVESTMENT BY EMIGRANTS, SOUTH AFRICA HAD DECIDED TO SIMPLIFY ITS EMIGRATION PROCEDURES FOR HONG KONG PEOPLE.
WILSON
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