XN000022-1984-07-25 — Page 10

WEDNESDAY, JULY 25, 1984

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HE SAID THAT WHEN HE MET MR JI PENGFE!, DIRECTOR OF CHINA'S HONG KONG AND MACAU AFFAIRS OFFICE, EARLIER THIS YEAR, HE ASKED HIM WHERE WOULD BDT CITIZENS STAND IN THE EYES OF CHINA.

+MR JI REPLIED THAT CHINA IS PREPARED TO GRANT HONG KONG BDT CITIZENS DUAL NATIONALITY FOR TWO GENERATIONS AFTER 1997, BECAUSE OUR UNIQUE HISTORICAL CIRCUMSTANCES.

+HE SAID THAT CHINA WOULD NOT BE OPPOSED TO BDT CITIZENS HOLDING BRITISH OVERSEAS CITIZENS PASSPORTS AS WELL AS CHINESE PASSPORTS, PROVIDED THAT HER MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT AGREES,+ HE RECALLED.

MR CHEUNG STATED THAT DURING THE HOUSE OF LORDS DEBATE IN MAY, LORD GEDDES TOOK UP THE CASE FOR BDTC, MR CHEUNG QUOTED HIM AS SAYING DURING THE HOUSE PASSPORT HOLDERS WHEN HE SAID, +... WOULD IT BE ACCEPTABLE TO HER MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT TO WRITE INTO ANY AGREEMENT WITH BEIJING THAT ALL BRITISH DEPENDENT TERRITORIES CITIZENS OF HONG KONG ON THE DATE OF HAND-OVER WOULD AUTOMATICALLY BECOME BRITISH OVERSEAS CITIZENS FOR SUCH A PERIOD, UNDER THE TERMS OF PART 1 OF THE BRITISH NATIONALITY ACT, AS SUITABLY 1Я0 AMENDED TO INCLUDE SUCH PERSONS?+

+SO FAR, THE OFFICIAL BRITISH SILENCE ON THE SUBJECT HAS BEEN DEFEANING. I PERSONALLY FEEL THE TIME HAS COME FOR THE SILENCE TO BE BROKEN,+ MR CHEUNG SAID.

HE SAID LORD GEDDES HAD POINTED OUT THAT SUCH A MOVE WAS MOST UNLIKELY TO +OPEN THE FLOODGATES OF IMMIGRATION FROM HONG KONG TO BRITAIN, BUT THAT+ IT COULD WELL TIP THE BALANCE IN PERSUADING THOSE WHO MIGHT HAVE THOUGHT OTHERWISE TO REMAIN IN HONG KONG BOTH UP TO AND BEYOND 1997, THEREBY MAINTAINING IN TURN THAT ALL-IMPORTANT CONFIDENCE.+

+ PERSONALLY BELIEVE ALSO THAT SUCH POSITIVE ACTION WOULD PROVE BRITAIN IS SINCERE IN HER DECLARED OBJECTIVE TO PRESERVE CONTINUITY AND PERSONAL FREEDOMS IN HONG KONG BEYOND 1997,+ MR CHEUNG SAID,

HE SAID THAT BRITAIN WAS WELL AWARE THAT THOUSANDS OF HONG KONG PEOPLE, MOST OF THEM FROM THE NEW TERRITORIES, HAD WORKED HARD IN THE UK, SETTING UP AND RUNNING CHINESE RESTAURANTS AND OTHER SUCCESSFUL BUSINESSES THERE.

+AFTER 1997, WHAT IS THE LIKELIHOOD THAT THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS STILL RESIDING IN HONG KONG WILL NOT BE ABLE TO BE REUNITED WITH THE IR FAMILY MEMBERS LIVING AND WORKING IN THE UK?+ HE ASKED.

IMMIGRANTS WHO CAME HERE FROM DIFFERENT PARTS OF CHINA DURING THE 1940S AND THE 1950S HAD SET HONG KONG ON THE ROAD TO PROSPERITY AND STABILITY, HE SAID.

THEY AND THEIR FAMILIES WERE OWED THE ASSURANCE OF FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT IN AND OUT OF HONG KONG AFTER 1997, HE ADDED.

/+THE SAKE

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