people in the public and private sectors. The announcement of
the scheme, at a time when confidence in Hong Kong was at a
low ebb, undoubtedly had a stabilising effect on the public mood in Hong Kong. It has also helped encourage other Governments to provide similar assurances for Hong Kong people.
Post-1997 position for British Dependent Citizens
30.
The nationality and immigration position of Hong Kong British Dependent Territory Citizens (BDTCs) after 1997 was
addressed in the two Memoranda exchanged by HMG and the
Chinese Government when the 1984 Sino-British Joint
Declaration was signed. The British Memorandum recognised
that no-one could continue to derive BDTC status from a
connection with Hong Kong after it ceased to be a British
dependent territory on 1 July 1997. Accordingly, the new
status of British National (Overseas) (BN(0)) was created
under the Hong Kong (British Nationality) Order 1986. This
status, which does not carry the right of abode in the UK, can
be acquired only before 1 July 1997 and is not transmissible
to the holder's children thereafter. The Chinese Memorandum
states that "Hong Kong Chinese compatriots", whether or not
they hold BDTC passports (and by extension BN (0) passports),
are considered by the Chinese Government to be Chinese
nationals and will not be entitled to British consular
protection in Hong Kong or other parts of China after 30 June
1997.
31.
At present, just under 600,000 people hold a BN (0)
passport. The Hong Kong (British Nationality) (Amendment Order) 1993 lays down a phased registration programme (by age groups) for acquisition of the new passports for those
eligible (up to 3.3 million). The Order was introduced to
enable the Hong Kong Immigration Department to process all
ipu.conf.PR
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