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TO DESKBY 01110OZ F C O
TELNO 328
OF 011006Z MARCH 90
HKC340
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INFO DESKBY 01110OZ HONG KONG
INFO IMMEDIATE B T C HONG KONG, UKREP JLG HONG KONG
STATEMENT BY MFA SPOKESMAN ON THE BRITISH NATIONALITY PACKAGE, 1 MARCH.
1. AT THE WEEKLY MFA PRESS BRIEFING ON 1 MARCH, SPOKESMAN LI ZHAOXING VOLUNTEERED THE FOLLOWING STATEMENT:
''ON THE UNILATERAL DECISION OF THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT TO ANNOUNCE THE CHANGE OF CITIZENSHIP OF SOME HONG KONG RESIDENTS THE SPOKESMAN OF THE CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTRY EXPOUNDED THE CLEAR-CUT POSITION OF THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT ON 30 DECEMBER
LAST YEAR.
THE BRITISH SIDE HAS BY THIS MEANS SERIOUS VIOLATED THE SOLEMN COMMITMENT AS MADE IN THE SINO-BRITISH JOINT DECLARATION ON HONG KONG AND IN THE RELEVANT AGREEMENTS REACHED BY THE TWO
SIDES.
IT IS OUR HOPE ONCE AGAIN THAT THE BRITISH SIDE WILL TAKE
INTO ACCOUNT THE INTEREST OF THE OVERALL SITUATION AND REFRAIN FROM CARRYING OUT THIS WRONG PRACTICE.
THE CHINESE SIDE RESERVES THE RIGHT TO TAKE APPROPRIATE MEASURES ON THIS ISSUE.
THE CHINESE SIDE'S MEMORANDUM RELEASED AT THE SIGNING OF THE SINO-BRITISH JOINT DECLARATION MADE IT CLEAR THAT ALL CHINESE COMPATRIOTS IN HONG KONG HOLDING PASSPORTS OF BRITISH DEPENDENT TERRITORIES CITIZENS OR NOT, ARE CHINESE CITIZENS.
THE SAID CHINESE CITIZENS SHALL NOT ENJOY THE RIGHT TO BRITISH CONSULAR PROTECTION IN THE HKSAR ROOTHER REGIONS OF CHINA ON ACCOUNT OF HOLDING A BRITISH PASSPORT.
UNDER THE NATIONALITIES LAW OF THE P R C ANY CHINESE CITIZEN WHO RESIDES IN CHINA AND WISHES TO ACQUIRE FOREIGN CITIZENSHIP
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