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do so voluntarily, according to our understanding of the PRC position. Comparative provisions in the Hong Kong (British Nationality Order 1986) for BOCs as against BN (0)s are produced in full in Annex A in table form. A simpler diagram of the various options beyond 1997 for Hong Kong BDTCs is at Annex B.
if
4. Persons regarded as Chinese nationals are not stateless.
Neither will their children be stateless at birth according to
our understanding of the Chinese Nationality Law. They and their children will therefore not be eligible for BOC status. The only uncertainty is with respect to those who are partly Chinese as it is not clear in Chinese Nationality Law how, such law is based on race, the degree of ethnicity will be defined in international legal terms. However, it is clear that for the vast majority of people BOC status will not be an option. This has been disputed recently in a series of articles in the Hong Kong Economic Journal arguing that BOC was
better than BN (O) status and suggesting that the British purpose behind the proposed BN (0) phased programme was to
prevent people becoming BOCS. These articles and the
Government response to them are at Annex C with translation.
The Advantages of the BN(0) Passport over the BOC Passport
5. The BN (0) passport is intended, by agreement between
Britain and China, and by the Hong Kong Government, as the
normal passport for Hong Kong people after 1997 or at least for
those who wish to keep the British connection and/or travel
facility. As such the Hong Kong Government's efforts, assisted
by Britain, have been directed to building up and maintaining the BN (0) status and travel facility abroad. The BN (0) passport now enjoys visa-free entry to more than 70 countries. We have now achieved parity with the BDTC: only Austria gives
visa-free entry to BDTCs and not BN (O)s (Mauritius having
recently equalised) and Mexico now gives it to BNOS and not
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