XN000022-1984-07-25 — Page 8

WEDNESDAY, JULY 25, 1984

NEED FOR CONTINUED FREEDOM TO TRAVEL STRESSED

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BRITAIN MUST ASSUME THE RESPONSIBILITY OF SAFEGUARDING THE FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT BY TRAVEL OF BRITISH DEPENDENT TERRITORIES CITIZENS PASSPORT HOLDERS AND THEIR NEXT GENERATION, THE HON MARIA TAM, SAID TODAY.

ALTHOUGH THE KIND OF BRITISH NATIONAL ITY THEY NOW HOLD WOULD NO LONGER BE RELATED TO A BRITISH DEPENDENT TERRITORY AFTER 1997, THE IR RIGHT TO BRITISH CONSULAR PROTECTION SHOULD BE RETAINED, MISS TAM TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL AT THE ADJOURNMENT DEBATE ON FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT.

MISS TAM SAID THAT PROTECTION OF FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT MUST BE CLEARLY SET OUT IN THE SINO-BRITISH AGREEMENT, WHILE PASSPORTS SHOULD BE ISSUED TO CHINESE SUBJECTS RESIDING HERE BY THE GOVERNMENT OF THE SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION.+

+FURTHERMORE, MISS TAM SAID, +ALL THE CITIZENS OF HONG KONG, BE THEY BRITISH OR CHINESE BY NATIONALITY, SHOULD CONTINUE TO ENJOY THE RIGHT OF ABODE IN THE HONG KONG SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION ACCORDING TO THE INTERPRETATION OF HONG KONG BELONGERS' SPELT OUT IN THE LAWS OF HONG KONG (CHAPTER 115).+

MISS TAM REFERRED TO THE MANY THOUSANDS OF HONG KONG YOUTHS WHO TRAVEL OVERSEAS FOR FURTHER STUDIES EACH YEAR AND SAID THERE WOULD STILL BE NEED AFTER 1997 FOR SUCH MOVEMENT FOR ACADEMIC,

IT WAS VITAL CULTURAL, TECHNOLOGICAL AND EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES. FOR SUCH FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT TO CONTINUE.

+FROM 1981 TO 1983, THERE WERE ABOUT 12 000 YOUTHS WHO WENT ABROAD FOR FURTHER STUDIES EACH YEAR. AND 80 PER CENT OF THEM WERE 'BDTC' PASSPORT HOLDERS, SHE SAID.

THE GUARANTEE OF TRAVEL AND THE RIGHT OF ABODE IN HONG KONG WOULD CERTAINLY HELP ESTABLISH HONG KONG PEOPLE'S CONFIDENCE IN THE FUTURE OF THE TERRITORY.

+AND IT IS CONFIDENCE THAT SUSTAINS HONG KONG'S PROSPERITY,+ SHE SAID.

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