TNAG-0980-FCO40-1199-Implications-for-Hong-Kong-of-changes-in-British-nationality-1980 — Page 109

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CONFIDENTIAL

NEW BRITISH NATIONALITY LAW: ESSENTIAL FACTS

1. It has long been recognised that the British Nationality Act

(which prescribes a unitary form of citizenship Citizen of the

United Kingdom and Colonies) is now out of date and should be replaced

by a law providing for separate citizenships for those who have close

links with the UK itself and for those who have similar links with

the Dependent Territories.

2. HMG have agreed to establish a separate category of citizenship

for the Dependent Territories as a whole. The White Paper on a new

British Nationality Law, published on 30 July, suggests that the title

should be 'Citizenship of the British Dependent Territories', but allows

for the possibility of further discussion within certain limits. These

limits do not include the retention of the term Citizen of the United

Kingdom and Colonies or any title including the words 'British Citizen',

'United Kingdom' or 'British Subject'.

3. Generally the White Paper has received a cool reception in both the

Chinese and English press in Hong Kong. Even with the proposed intro-

duction of a separate category of citizenship for Dependent Territories,

comments persist to the effect that Hong Kong people are being classi-

fied as 'second class citizens'. The abandonment of a unitary system of

citizenship is argued by some as an indication of Britain's attaching

less importance to its relationship with Hong Kong.

HONG KONG AND GENERAL DEPARTMENT

SEPTEMBR 1980

CONFIDENTIAL