future.
The Foreign Affairs Committee report (para. 4.15) noted that a fundamental breach of the Anglo-Chinese Joint Declaration after 1997 could lead to the exodus of huge numbers of people from Hong Kong. In what the Governor of Hong Kong has termed the "Armageddon scenario", Britain would have to mobilise international help to deal with possibly millions of refugees. The then Foreign Secretary, Sir Geoffrey Howe, told the Committee:
...
'In the last resort situation of events overwhelming the people of Hong Kong, then in those circumstances it is, ? think, inescapable that the United Kingdom with its speciai responsibility for the territory would have to try and discharge that responsibility with the help of others'.
(FAC Minutes of Evidence, HC 281-II, page 365, 14th June 1989).
If Hong Kong remains prosperous and stable during the last years of British rule, then China would stand to lose a great deal if she reneged on the promises made in the Joint Declaration. Conversely, a weakened Hong Kong, whose key people had already left, would carry less weight in Peking. By keeping key people in the colony, and sustaining the prospect of Hong Kong, the British Government's citizenship scheme will also maintain the value of Hong Kong to China after 1997, and make less likely the exodus of up to several million refugees claiming rights under the 1951 United Nations Convention.
5.
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
a)
Why not deal with the selection process within the Bill?
b)
c)
-
By keeping the scheme separate, it will be possible to alter it subject to Parliamentary approval to reflect the changing needs of Hong Kong,
D
without going through the full legislative process.
Won't separating the scheme from the Bill reduce Parliament's opportunity to assess it properly?
No. Parliament will have the opportunity to examine every aspect of the proposed scheme. It will be discussed during passage of the Bill and the final version will be subject to Parliamentary approval following enactment of the Bill.
Why will the Home Secretary grant citizenship on the basis of the Governor's recommendations?
This is a scheme to help Hong Kong. It is right that they should select those whom they consider to be key personnel. The Governor is in the best position to do this.
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