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As a matter of fact, ever since 1962 these 2,600,000 Hong Kong people have been denied the right to enter the United Kingdom freely. For, though they can apply for British passports, they are, like other Commonwealth people, subject to immigration controls. The British Government's moral obligation to Hong Kong British Citizens is one thing; the law is another thing and it operates differently. Since 1962, any person in Hong Kong wishing to go to the United Kingdom for work, or for studies, or just for travel, not to mention one who wants to settle there, is required to apply to the Home Department of the British Government through the Immigration Department in Hong Kong; and he is not allowed entry unless approval is obtained.
It can be seen from this that once the British Government withdraw from Hong Kong, i.c. when there is a change in Hong Long's status no matter Hong Kong is to achieve independence or self-rule or to be handed back to China, the Groon Faper, apart from stressing over and over again that British Overseas Citizens should live oversens permanently, docs achieve one thing with its proposed "Possible Changes. For it does drive these points home:
) HONG KONG BRITISH CITIZES WILL BE CLEARLY
DIFFERENT FROM BRI PISH CITIZENS.
The British Government's 1962 Immigration Lar has imposed restrictions on Hong Kong people's entry to the United Kingdom. Bu t Hong Kong British Citizens are, after all, "United kingdom and Colonics Citizens and are of the same nationality as people of Britain proper. The proposed law makes
"British Overseas Citizens" a different
group of people from "British Citizens", and never should the two groups mix. If there is a change in Hong Kong's status, the British Government can find perfect
justification for refusing to take away
/any.
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