TNAG-0355-FCO40-391-Identity-and-terminology-of-second-generation-residents-in-H-1972 — Page 5

IN CONFIDENCE

(b)

or who are the children of, persons mentioned in

(i) above.

"Chinese Residents"

These are defined in the Ordinance as persons other

than "Hong Kong belongers" who are wholly or partly

of Chinese race and have at any time been ordinarily

resident in Hong Kong for a continuous period of not less

than seven years. A Chinese resident has the right to

land in Hong Kong at any time and without any conditions

attached to his stay in the Colony, unless there is a

deportation order in force against him at the time.

Normally the inhabitants of a colony are "Citizens of the

United Kingdom and Colonies" without qualification.

know, a colony is not given its own citizenship until independence.

Because we could not use the term "Citizens of Hong Kong", for

example, we were driven to devise the unglamourous term "belonger"

to meet the position of persons in a dependent territory who

wanted a closer association with that territory than the status

of British subject implied.

As you

You suggested the term "Chinese citizens of Hong Kong",

I am afraid that this would be impracticable, not only for the

reasons mentioned above, but also because it might be read to

mean "Citizens of China resident in Hong Kong". The Chinese

Government might choose to read it in this way and use this

reading as a handle to create a great deal of trouble.

IN CONFIDENCE

/As he