What about the international response to our requests for assurances
for Hong Kong?
Line to Take
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Hong Kong is an international centre with huge international
investment and its major trading partners have a strong
interest in its continuing stability and prosperity. On that basis, some countries, already of their own volition, have started to provide such international support and we have encouraged others to do so. Singapore has already introduced
a scheme covering up to 25,000 heads of household.
Within the European Community, France has already implemented a scheme to provide for the right of entry to employees of French companies and their families. Belgium and Luxembourg have introduced a similar scheme in recent weeks and the West
German Government are finalising a scheme of broadly the same nature. Other countries are still considering how they might
help.
The United States Congress are also considering a proposal that would enable Hong Kong people granted the right to settle in the United States, up to 20,000 a year, to defer settlement
there until 2002.
Such measures, whether they are specifically tailored to Hong Kong or reflect the general immigration policies of the countries concerned, are helpful. Taken together, they could
add substantially to the impact of our scheme.
SAKACH