DRAFT
LETTER FROM FOREIGN SECRETARY AND HOME SECRETARY TO ALL MEMBERS
OF PARLIAMENT
HONG KONG
At the end of 1989, the Government announced that it would ask
Parliament exceptionally to allow British citizenship to be granted
to a maximum of 50,000 key people in Hong Kong and their families.
We hope to bring in a Bill soon, and in the meantime thought that
Members would appreciate a summary of why we have chosen this
course.
Our scheme is designed to encourage people to stay in Hong Kong, not to come to Britain. Talented and enterprising people are
leaving Hong Kong in growing numbers. Countries like Canada and
Australia which have selective immigration policies welcome the
doctors, teachers, managers and engineers who are now quitting the
territory. This exodus of professional skill threatens both Hong
Kong's prosperity and her good government during the last seven years of British rule.
Most of these emigrants would prefer to stay in Hong Kong.
Almost all of them are ethnic Chinese. Their careers and their
businesses are based in the territory. But because of events in mainland China they also want the assurance of a foreign passport which would enable them to settle abroad if they became convinced
that they had no future in Hong Kong. At present, they can normally gain such an assurance only by emigrating and settling in the
country where they hope to acquire citizenship.
The British Government's scheme will give these key people the
assurance which they want without any need for them to live in Britain before they qualify for our citizenship. We are also asking our allies in Europe and elsewhere in the world to consider similar
nationality schemes which could help sustain confidence in Hong
Kong.