18-NOV-1992 11:31
INFORMATION CO-ORDINATOR.
+852 521 7058
P 04
5.
KTHNIC MINORITIES
Line to Take
More
ethnic
than 20,000 long term HK residents are of minorities, mostly Indian/Pakistani
·
passport
·
holders. Only about
about 100 actually stateless (e.g. elderly White Russians) Statelessness is no longer the problem that it is made out to be. We have helped ensure Basic Law gives all Hong Kong people right of abode post-97, regardless of race. To get that right. now, they need only apply to become BDTC. Post-1990 British Nationality
Nationality Scheme is irrelevant here: those passports are given on an individual points basis and not racial factors. The minorities question was fully discussed in the United Kingdom Parliament when the Scheme was brought in: Appeal for special treatment in the United Kingdom is obviously for HMG, which has considered it fully. No doubt they are a very valuable subsection of Hong Kong society, whose rights will be protected, along with others', by SARG as they have been by HKG.
LABOUR IMPORTATION
Line to Take
The supply of labour is expected to remain tight (unemployment rate at 1.9% for third quarter 1992). The invitation of applications from employers for importing about 13,000 workers will
will replace existing foreign workers whose contracts will expire in 1993. No change of the current ceiling of 25,000, i.e. no expansion of the existing general
general scheme. Labour importation is necessary in the light of favourable economic growth and the continued slow growth in the local labour force.
Importation is selective i.e. targetted at bottleneck areas of labour supply. Conditions of the scheme Will include measures to
ensure that the interests of local workers are well
protected.