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Nationality of ethnic minorities
Ms Emily LAU welcomed, Mr Keith KWOK, Dr Simon Vickers and Mr K S CHEUNG to the meeting. The following points were made by representatives of the Administration:
(a)
(b)
(c)
Good stuff.
(a)
Members' views on the subject as expressed at the recent motion debate in the Legislative Council had been conveyed to Britain as the grant of British citizenship was a matter for Her Majesty's Government. In conveying the views, the Hong Kong Government had asked for them to be considered seriously but not made any specific recommendation on the issue partly because this might be inappropriate and party because of the lack of a clear position of the Council (e.g. were Members asking for special consideration by HMG or actual preference for Indian and Pakistani BDTCs over Hong Kong Chinese BDTCs for any passports available). It had however asked the British Government to note Members' strong feeling.
The Hong Kong Government did not keep record of its people's ethnic origin and would not wish to probe, in principle e.g. on part-ethnicity, and therefore did not have information on the exact number of ethnic minorities in Hong Kong. According to surveys and information provided by the, community groups, there were about 7 000 ethnic minorities, approximating 2 000 families, holding BDTC or BN (0) passports. These people were not and would not be stateless. Only about a hundred people, most elderly White Russians in Hong Kong could probably be classified as stateless. Even these people could have the right of abode in Hong Kong under the Basic Law.
The ethnic minorities seemed to fear that they would be treated worse off than Hong Kong Chinese after 1997. The fear was merely speculative and arguable (e.g. on whether "foreignees" and deportability was a bad or, good thing in a really worst-case situation). The Chinese nationality laws and practice were actually relatively liberal towards different groups of ethnic minorities within China. General worst-case worries for the future after 1997 were shared by many other ethnic Chinese Hong Kong residents. It was difficult for the Hong Kong Government to single out a group for special treatment on the basis of such guesses of "vulnerability".
The Hong Kong Government was working with China on the details of how foreigners could take Hong Kong