CONFIDENTIAL
014714
MDHIAN 91
MUST FIRST OF ALL APPLY AND OBTAIN APPROVAL TO FORFEIT HIS OR HER CHINESE CITIZENSHIP''.
2. ASKED BY JOURNALISTS TO AMPLIFY THE STATEMENT HE HAD JUST MADE, LI SIMPLY READ IT OUT AGAIN. HE REFUSED TO ANSWER WHEN ASKED WHETHER THE STATEMENT MEANT THAT ANY HONG KONG RESIDENTS TAKING OUT FOREIGN CITIZENSHIP BEFORE 1997 WOULD FIND THAT THIS WOULD NOT BE RECOGNISED BY THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT AFTER 1997. ASKED WHETHER
HIS STATEMENT CONTAINED ANY NEW OR DIFFERENT ELEMENTS FROM WHAT WAS ALREADY IN THE PUBLIC DOMAIN, LI SAID THAT JOURNALISTS WOULD HAVE TO STUDY THE STATEMENT AND FIND OUT.
COMMENT.
3. THIS STATEMENT APPEARS TO CONTAIN NO NEW ELEMENTS. INDEED, THE FINAL PARAGRAPH COULD SUGGEST THAT THE CHINESE WOULD BE PREPARED TO ALLOW HONG KONG RESIDENTS TO RENOUNCE THEIR CHINESE NATIONALITY. THE TIMING OF THE STATEMENT IS A LITTLE ODD: THE MFA HAVE NOT RAISED THE NATIONALITY PACKAGE WITH US SINCE THE
GOVERNOR'S JANUARY VISIT. WE SUSPECT THEIR MOTIVE WAS MAINLY TO
REMIND US THAT THE PROBLEM HAS NOT GONE AWAY.
4.
IF ASKED, WE PROPOSE TO SAY THAT THIS LATEST STATEMENT APPEARS TO CONTAIN NOTHING THAT WAS NOT IN THE MFA'S STATEMENT OF 30 DECEMBER (MY TELNO 2242, 1989), THE CHINESE MEMORANDUM ASSOCIATED WITH THE JOINT DECLARATION OR THE PROVISIONS OF CHINA'S NATIONALITY LAW.
WE WILL NOT BE DRAWN INTO GIVING INTERPRETATIONS OF THE STATEMENT BUT WILL REFER ANYONE ASKING FOR A VIEW ON IT TO THE MFA.
WE WILL GO ON MAKING THE FOLLOWING POINTS:
THE AIM OF OUR STATEMENT OF 20 DECEMBER WAS TO ENCOURAGE KEY
PEOPLE TO REMAIN IN HONG KONG AND THEREFORE TO ENHANCE THE STABILITY AND PROSPERITY OF HONG KONG.
WE BELIEVE THAT OUR INTENTIONS ARE ENTIRELY CONSISTENT WITH
THE JOINT DECLARATION AND THE ASSOCIATED MEMORANDA.
WE REMAIN FULLY COMMITTED TO THE JOINT DECLARATION AND TO ITS FULL AND FAITHFUL IMPLEMENTATION.
DONALD.
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