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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 10, 1993
SECONDLY, THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT HAS CONFIRMED THAT IT IS NOT POSSIBLE TO GRANT BRITISH CITIZENSHIP TO THE ETHNIC MINORITIES IN HONG KONG UNDER THE BRITISH NATIONALITY ACT 1981. NEW PRIMARY LEGISLATION WOULD BE NECESSARY IF SPECIAL TREATMENT WERE TO BE ACCORDED TO THIS GROUP. THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT, HOWEVER, IS NOT PERSUADED OF THE CASE FOR FRESH LEGISLATION TO GIVE BRITISH CITIZENSHIP TO THE ETHNIC MINORITIES; IT BELIEVES THAT THIS COMMUNITY'S POSITION IN HONG KONG IS SECURE: NEITHER THEIR CHILDREN OR GRANDCHILDREN WILL BE STATELESS; THEY ARE ELIGIBLE TO APPLY FOR CITIZENSHIP UNDER THE BRITISH NATIONALITY SCHEME, AND SOME HAVE APPLIED AND BEEN SUCCESSFUL; AND THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT STANDS BY ITS UNDERTAKING TO CONSIDER THEIR CASE FOR ADMISSION TO THE UNITED KINGDOM WITH PARTICULAR SYMPATHY CONTRARY TO EXPECTATIONS, THEY WERE IN FUTURE TO COME UNDER SEVERE PRESSURE TO LEAVE HONG KONG.
THIS IS NOT NEW,
IF,
BUT I RECOGNISE THAT IT WILL COME AS A DISAPPOINTMENT TO MEMBERS OF THIS COUNCIL AND TO THE ETHNIC MINORITIES. I WOULD NOT, HOWEVER, WISH TO RAISE EXPECTATIONS OF A
MORE FAVOURABLE RESPONSE IN FUTURE.
AS REGARDS THE POSITION OF THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT ON THIS ISSUE, I SHOULD LIKE TO SPELL THIS OUT WITH REFERENCE TO THE POINTS IN THE REPORT ITSELF.
THE REPORT REFERS TO THE FACT THAT THE ETHNIC MINORITIES ARE DEEPLY ROOTED IN THE HONG KONG COMMUNITY. I ACKNOWLEDGE THIS, AND THEIR WISH TO REMAIN IN HONG KONG WHERE THEY HAVE PROSPERED AND MADE THEIR HOMES. I AM SURE THAT HONG KONG PEOPLE, AS WELL AS THE BRITISH, CHINESE AND HONG KONG GOVERNMENTS, WISH THEM TO STAY IN HONG KONG. THAT IS WHY WE SOUGHT AND OBTAINED THE RIGHT OF ABODE IN HONG KONG FOR THIS MINORITY IN THE JOINT DECLARATION. THIS IS REFLECTED IN THE
BASIC LAW.
TO
IT IS NOT CORRECT TO CALL THESE PEOPLE STATELESS. THE CHANGE OF SOVEREIGNTY IN 1997 WILL NOT MAKE THEM STATELESS. ALL THOSE WHO ARE NOW BRITISH DEPENDENT TERRITORY CITIZENS (BDTCS) WILL CONTINUE HAVE BRITISH NATIONALITY EITHER BY REGISTERING AS BRITISH NATIONALS (OVERSEAS) ( BNOS ) OR AUTOMATICALLY AS BRITISH OVERSEAS CITIZENS (BOCS). IN RITHER CASE, THEY CAN CONTINUE TO HOLD BRITISH PASSPORTS. THEY WILL BE ELIGIBLE FOR BRITISH CONSULAR PROTECTION THROUGHOUT THE WORLD, INCLUDING IN THE HONG KONG SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION. THEIR STATUS AS BRITISH NATIONALS WILL BE TRANSMISSABLE TO THEIR CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN. TRANSMISSION BY DESCENT WILL NOT GO BEYOND THE SECOND GENERATION. BUT NOR DOES IT FOR ANY EXPATRIATE BRITISH CITIZENS LIVING OUTSIDE THE UNITED KINGDOM.
A I AGREE, HOWEVER, WITH MEMBERS THAT ETHNIC MINORITIES ARE IN SPECIAL POSITION AND I ACKNOWLEDGE THE VALUABLE CONTRIBUTION WHICH
ETHNIC THE
MINORITIES HAVE MADE TO HONG KONG. I ACCEPT THAT MOST MEMBERS OF THE GROUP HAVE EVERY INTENTION OF STAYING IN HONG KONG, AND ARE SIMPLY SEEKING A REASSURANCE WHICH WILL ENABLE THEM TO FACE THEIR FUTURE IN HONG KONG WITH CONFIDENCE.
I RECOGNISE THE STRENGTH OF FEELING OF MANY MEMBERS OF THIS COUNCIL THAT THE EXISTING ASSURANCES ARE NOT ADEQUATE FOR THIS PURPOSE AND THAT FULL BRITISH CITIZENSHIP SHOULD BE GRANTED. IF THE TODAY
IS PASSED, WE WILL CERTAINLY PUT THE CASE ONCE MORE TO THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT.
MOTION FORCEFULLY
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