THURSDAY, OCTOBER 17, 1945
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FUTURE NATIONALITY DETAILS RELEASED
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DETAILS OF THE PROPOSED FUTURE NATIONALITY STATUS OF HONG KONG BRITISH DEPENDENT TERRITORIES CITIZENS (BDTC'S) AS OUTLINED IN THE UNITED KINGDOM MEMORANDUM ASSOCIATED WITH THE SINO-BRITISH JOINT DECLARATION WERE RELEASED SIMULTANEOUSLY IN HONG KONG AND LONDON TODAY.
THE PROPOSALS ARE CONTAINED IN A UK GOVERNMENT DRAFT ORDER IN COUNCIL ANNEXED TO AN EXPLANATORY WHITE PAPER, COPIES OF THE WHITE PAPER, IN ENGLISH OR CHINESE, ARE AVAILABLE FREE OF CHARGE FROM ALL DISTRICT OFFICES, IMMIGRATION OFFICES, AND THE GOVERNMENT PUBLICATIONS CENTRE.
A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID THERE WOULD BE AMPLE TIME FOR MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC TO EXPRESS THEIR VIEWS OR SUGGEST AMENDMENTS, AND LEGCO UNOFFICIALS COULD ALSO REQUEST A DEBATE. COMMENTS SHOULD BE SENT TO THE SECRETARY FOR SECURITY AT CENTRAL GOVERNMENT OFFICES, LOWER ALBERT ROAD, HONG KONG.
WHITE PAPER
THE WHITE PAPER EXPLAINS THE BACKGROUND TO THE NATIONAL ITY PROVISIONS AND PROVIDES A COMMENTARY ON THE VARIOUS PROVISIONS OF THE DRAFT ORDER IN COUNCIL. THE TEXT OF THE DRAFT ORDER ITSELF WHICH WILL BE DEBATED IN PARLIAMENT IS AT ANNEX 1 TO THE WHITE PAPER. ANNEX 2 LISTS THE WAYS IN WHICH PEOPLE MAY BE CONNECTED WITH HONG KONG AND SO COME WITHIN THE TERMS OF THE ORDER.
THE WHITE PAPER IS IN FULFILMENT OF A UK GOVERNMENT UNDERTAKING
THE GIVEN WHEN THE HONG KONG ACT WAS GOING THROUGH PARLIAMENT. GOVERNMENT AGREED TO PUBLISH THE DETAILED NATIONALITY ARRANGEMENTS, WHICH ARE A CONSEQUENCE OF THE TERMS OF THE UK MEMORANDUM ASSOCIATED WITH THE SINO-BRITISH JOINT DECLARATION, AND TO ARRANGE FOR THE PROPOSALS IN THE DRAFT ORDER TO BE DEBATED IN PARLIAMENT BEFORE THE DRAFT ORDER WAS FORMALLY LAID,
THE UK GOVERNMENT WILL THUS BE ABLE TO TAKE ACCOUNT OF ANY POINTS MADE ON THE WHITE PAPER BEFORE FORMALLY LAYING THE ORDER BEFORE PARLIAMENT FOR APPROVAL NEXT YEAR. ANY AMENDMENTS WILL, OF COURSE, NEED TO BE CONSISTENT WITH THE JOINT DECLARATION AND THE UK MEMORANDUM, AND WITH THE HONG KONG ACT 1985, WHICH WAS PASSED BY PARLIAMENT IN APRIL THIS YEAR.
SINO-BRITISH JOINT DECLARATION
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THE SINO-BRITISH JOINT DECLARATION, SIGNED BY THE GOVERNMENTS OF THE UK AND CHINA ON DECEMBER 19, 1984, MADE PROVISION FOR THE RESTORATION OF HONG KONG TO THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA ON JULY 1, 1997.
THE JOINT