TNAG-1081-FCO40-1331-Implications-for-Hong-Kong-of-changes-in-the-British-nationa-1981 — Page 187

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SECRET

6. As regards the draft note on separate citizenships, I have the following comments:

a) In paragraphs 1 and 2 you refer to 'full civic rights' or

'normal civic rights'. It would be useful to know what these amount to. If they include the right to vote, then we could be in trouble over Hong Kong since there are no elections held at present involving a franchise wide enough to embrace most of the adult population. The position will improve with the introduction of district administration elections in 1982, but nevertheless this remains a point on which Hong Kong is weak;

b)

c)

I would not agree with the comment in the second sentence of paragraph 4. There is no evidence that Chinese views have moderated over the position of Hong Kong. UK/China relations are certainly excellent, but this is only because we have avoided embarrassing the Chinese over Hong Kong. The suggestion of a separate Hong Kong citizenship would undo all this and, for the reasons stated above, must be avoided;

The suggestion in paragraph 5 could be difficult from Hong Kong's point of view. In the first place it would appear to be conferring something which, on close examination, had no sub- stance. We should be strongly criticised when this was discovered. Secondly, it would still be likely to arouse the suspicions of the Chinese who, by contrast would suspect that there was something in it!

Бир

23 February 1981

cc:

PS/Mr Luce

Mr Adams

SAMD

SED

FED

EAD

R D Clift

Hong Kong & General Department