XN000022-1987-05-27 — Page 14

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WEDNESDAY, MAY 27, 1987

TURNING TO THE TWO BILLS, SHE SAID THEIR MAIN OBJECTIVE WAS TO DEFINE WHO WOULD ACQUIRE THE STATUS OF HONG KONG PERMANENT RESIDENTS. SHE ADDED THAT THE BILL CLEARLY STATED THAT THESE PEOPLE WOULD BE: PERSONS WHOLLY OR PARTLY OF THE CHINESE RACE WHO HAD BEEN ORDINARILY RESIDENT IN HONG KONG FOR SEVEN YEARS OR MORE: BDTCS WHO HAD A CONNECTION WITH HONG KONG (BY VIRTUE OF ARTICLE 2 OF THE HONG KONG (BRITISH NATIONALITY) ORDER 1986)* BDTCS WHO HAD A CONNECTION WITH THE BRITISH DEPENDENT TERRITORIES SET OUT IN SCHEDULE 6 OF THE BRITISH NATIONALITY ACT, AND COMMONWEALTH CITIZENS WHO HAD THE RIGHT TO LAND IN HONG KONG BEFORE JANUARY 1 1983 BY VIRTUE OF BEING A HONG KONG BELONGER.

MISS TAM NOTED THAT APART FROM THOSE WHO HAD RENOUNCED THEIR BDTC STATUS AFTER JANUARY 1, 1983, SUCH AS PEOPLE WHO HAD ACQUIRED DUTCH NATIONALITY, ALL OTHER PEOPLE WHO NOW HAD THE RIGHT OF ABODE IN HONG KONG WOULD RETAIN THEIR FULL RIGHTS.

PEOPLE WHO HAD THE RIGHT OF ABODE WOULD HAVE THE RIGHT TO LAND, WITH FREEDOM FROM CONDITIONS OF STAY, FREEDOM FROM REMOVAL AND FREEDOM FROM DEPORTATION.

+IT FOLLOWS LOGICALLY THAT A PERSON WITH THE RIGHT OF ABODE IN HONG KONG WHO WAS DEPORTED BY A FOREIGN STATE WOULD BE RETURNED TO HONG KONG AND NOT TO MAINLAND CHINA,+ SHE SAID.

SHE NOTED THAT APART FROM THE 3.25 MILLION PEOPLE MENTIONED, THERE WOULD BE A FURTHER 1.74 MILLION CHINESE RESIDENTS ENJOYING SUCH RIGHTS.

SHE ADDED THAT WHILE THE TWO BILLS WOULD ESTABLISH THE BASIS OF RESOLVING THE ISSUE CONCERNING TRAVEL DOCUMENTS AND PASSPORTS PRACTICAL ACTION HAD TO BE TAKEN TO STRIVE FOR GREATER ACCEPTANCE OF THE BN(0) PASSPORT BY MORE COUNTRIES.

SHE SAID ALIENS SHOULD BE GIVEN AN OPPORTUNITY TO CHOOSE HONG KONG AS THEIR PLACE OF PERMANENT RESIDENCE AFTER RESIDING IN HONG KONG FOR SEVEN YEARS SO THAT THEY COULD BECOME QUALIFIED WITH THE RIGHT OF ABODE IN HONG KONG AS SPECIFIED IN THE JOINT DECLARATION.

SHE CALLED ON THE GOVERNMENT TO PUBLICISE AND EXPLAIN THE NEW LEGISLATION TO HONG KONG PEOPLE LIVING OVERSEAS AND ALLOW THEM TO HAVE THEIR IDENTITY CARD RENEWED.

THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD ALSO FULLY EXPLAIN THE APPEAL PROCEDURES TO THE PUBLIC CONCERNING THE APPLICATION OF PERMANENT IDENTITY CARD, SHE SAID.

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