NATIONALITY
CONFIDENTIAL
Background
Non Chinese ethnic miniorities
1.
In their report, the FAC recommended that non ethnic
Chinese BDTCs should be given British citizenship. We have
already made clear publicly that we took very careful note of all the representations from the ethnic miniorities when
we were devising the scheme embodied in the Nationality Bill. We concluded that we could not treat this group as a special category within the scheme, although they will of
course be eligible to apply for British citizenship under
the scheme. Each case will be assessed fairly and on its
merits.
2. In recognition of the particular concerns of the ethnic miniorities in Hong Kong, we have already taken steps to reassure them about their position after 1997. The non Chinese ethnic minoirities' right of abode in the Hong Kong SAR is protected in the Joint Declaration and now in the
final version of the Basic Law. In addition, the Hong Kong (British Nationality) Order 1968 gives the ethnic minorities
a further assurance by providing that the children and
grandchildren of those who are BDTCs prior to 1 July 1997 will have British overseas citizenship if they would
otherwise be stateless.
3.
Ministers have also given a specific assurance in Parliament that if, against all expectations, these people
came under severe pressure to leave Hong Kong, we would
expect the Government of the day to consider their case for
admission to the UK with considerable and particular
sympathy. We stand by that undertaking, which has been
repeated on several occasions during Parliament's
consideration of the Bill.
CONFIDENTIAL