TNAG-1105-FCO40-1355-Detention-of-Hong-Kong-British-passport-holders-in-China-1981 — Page 11

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2. On 22 June I called on Mrs Chen Hui, Deputy Section Head, Consular Department MFA, to discuss

I went over the details of the case as known to us and referred to Miss Cham's concern about her uncle's welfare. I then asked for information on:

(i) the crime he is alleged to have committed, and

(ii) the reasoning behind the Chinese claim that he is a

Chinese national.

3.

Mrs Chen said that

entered China on a Hong Kong/Macao compatriot certificate issued in Guangdong Province. These certificates are only issued to Chinese citizens. Many Chinese citizens were born in other South East Asian countries but under Chinese law they had a claim to Chinese nationality. By

acceptance of the compatriot certificate he also accepted the fact that when he entered China using that certificate he would be regarded as a citizen of the PRC and subject to Chinese law. Mrs Chen added that as Cheam is a Chinese national the question of his alleged crime is an internal matter and is "our business". There is therefore no reason for the Embassy to be informed of what crime he has. committed.

4. I attempted to get Mrs Chen to expand on the nationality point but she would not go any further than to say that, as the compatriot certificates are only issued to Chinese then all holders of such certificates are considered to be Chinese when they visit China.

113,

RESTRICTED

/ 5.