1
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 19, 1994
CHINESE CHILDREN'S RIGHT OF ABODE IN HK
FOLLOWING IS A QUESTION BY THE HON MRS ELSIE TU AND A REPLY BY THE SECRETARY FOR SECURITY, MR ALISTAIR ASPREY, LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY):
WRITTEN
IN THE
QUESTION: WILL THE GOVERNMENT INFORM THIS COUNCIL OF THE FOLLOWING:
(A)
HOW MANY JUVENILES ARE ESTIMATED TO BECOME ELIGIBLE TO ENTER. HONG KONG FROM CHINA UNDER ARTICLE 24(3) OF THE BASIC LAW AFTER 1 JULY 1997?
(B)
HOW MANY OF THEM, AS FAR AS IS KNOWN, ALREADY HAVE BOTH PARENTS LIVING IN HONG KONG LEGALLY?
(C)
(D)
HOW MANY OF THEM ARE AT PRESENT UNDER 10 YEARS OF AGE?
COULD THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT NEGOTIATE A FURTHER INCREASE IN THE DAILY QUOTA TO CLEAR THE BACKLOG OF JUVENILES ELIGIBLE IN THE NEXT 3 4 YEARS?
REPLY: MR PRESIDENT,
(A)
(B)
—
THE MOST RECENT ESTIMATE OF THE NUMBER OF CHILDREN NOW IN CHINA AND UNDER 20 YEARS OF AGE WHO WILL UNDER BASIC LAW ARTICLE 24(3), HAVE RIGHT OF ABODE IN HONG KONG AFTER 30 JUNE 1997 IS 64 000.
THIS ESTIMATE IS BASED ON THE DATA AVAILABLE, INCLUDING RECORDS OF APPLICATIONS FOR CERTIFICATES OF ABSENCE OF MARRIAGE, LEGAL IMMIGRATION STATISTICS, DEMOGRAPHIC STATISTICS, AND A SURVEY OF THE NUMBER OF HONG KONG MEN MARRIED TO WOMEN IN CHINA. WE HAVE ALSO MADE SOME ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT FUTURE FAMILY SIZE.
WE DO NOT HAVE THE NECESSARY DATA TO ENABLE US TO ESTIMATE THE NUMBER OF SUCH CHILDREN HAVING BOTH PARENTS LIVING LEGALLY IN HONG KONG.
(C)
WE ESTIMATE THAT ABOUT 51 200 OF THESE BELOW 10 YEARS OF AGE.
CHILDREN ARE
(D)
WE ARE NOW REVIEWING THE ONE-WAY PERMIT IMMIGRATION QUOTA FROM CHINA. THIS REVIEW WILL INCLUDE AN ASSESSMENT OF THE LIKELY IMPACT ON HONG KONG'S SOCIAL SERVICES, OF A FURTHER POSSIBLE INCREASE IN THE QUOTA ENABLE MORE CHILDREN IN THIS CATEGORY TO COME TO HONG KONG BEFORE 1 JULY 1997.
ΤΟ
/2