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SECRETARY OF STATE'S INTERVIEW WITH INTERNATIONAL HERALD TRIBUNE ON 24 OCTOBER
HONG KONG
BRITISH NATIONALITY LAW
1.
There is no question of distancing Hong Kong from the UK.
Links remain as strong as ever. New legislation on Nationality
would be intended to provide the United Kingdom with a citizenship
consistent with existing immigration requirements, ie a person's
citizenship would be linked to the place where he has the right
of abode. Existing rights of entry to the United Kingdom would
not be affected. Position of the Dependent Territories, including
Hong Kong, is recognised in the special category of citizenship
proposed for these territories.
2. (Defensive) Children of British citizens born abroad.
Many will acquire British citizenship through their parents.
There will be provision for acquisition of citizenship by
children of Crown Servants and businessmen who are yet to be
defined for the purpose of a Bill.
British citizenship will
in future descend in the female line as well as in the male line.
3.
Publication of the White Paper has given Hong Kong a
further opportunity to comment.
FUTURE OF HONG KONG (Defensive)
Chinese
4. HMG committed to continuing support of Hong Kong.
clearly share our interest in its stability. Deng Xiaoping
and other Chinese leaders have stressed importance to China of
continued confidence and investment in Hong Kong, and the part
this plays in China's modernisation programme.
relations excellent. Outlook is thus very good.
stories of sell-out. Too early to speculate on 1997.
Sino-British
No truth in
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