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from the ethnic minorities) will have BOC status if they would
otherwise be stateless and that their grandchildren will have an
entitlement to acquire this status by registration if the
grandparents were BDTCS other than by descent. Those who are not
BDTCS but wish to secure right of abode before 1997 may do so by
applying to become BDTCs.
C.
If any solely British national with no claim to Chinese
nationality came under severe pressure to leave Hong Kong the
British government of the day would consider with particular
sympathy their case for admission to the United Kingdom.
Repeated assurances to this effect have been given by Ministers
on various Hong Kong Parliamentary occasions.
d. Provided they hold some form of British nationality or have
applied for registration or naturalisation as BDTCs by virtue of
a connection with Hong Kong, the ethnic minorities have the same
chance as everybody else in Hong Kong to compete for the British
citizenship places on offer under the British Nationality Scheme.
(We have no figures to show their success under the scheme.
Information is not collected on an ethnic basis).
Hong Kong's misgivings
have heard these arguments
6. The legislative councillors have heard
several times before and it is clear from the record of the 18
November debate that they are not convinced. They remain
doubtful about right of abode in Hong Kong; they are dissatisfied