TNAG-1207-FCO40-1510-Hong-Kong-Chinese-community-in-the-Netherlands-1982 — Page 3

Page

Foreign and Commonwealth Office London SW1A 2AH

Mrs HC PL Yu

Hong Kong Government Office

6 Gratton St

London W1X 3LB

Telephone 01-

нка 3461

AZCHIVES

Your reference

Our reference

Date

1 June 1982

HONG KONG COMMUNITY IN THE NETHERLANDS

1. We have received from the Consulate-General in Amsterdam a copy of their latest triennial report on the British Community in the Netherlands. Most of this deals with UK citizens of the

United Kingdom and Colonies (CUKCs), but it includes some information on Hong Kong CUKC's in the Netherlands which may be of interest to you.

2.

There has been a marked increase in the last ten years or so

CUKC's

in the number of CUKC's of Hong Kong in the Netherlands. now constitute the overwhelming majority of the British community of about 50,000, of whom around 15,000 are Hong Kong Chinese.

3.

Although there has been large scale immigration into the Netherlands of Hong Kong Chinese, most of whom are CUKC's, the Dutch authorities have now clamped down firmly on further such immigration, and legal entry has now almost stopped. In fact the number of Hong Kong Chinese CUKC's is now diminishing as many who have been in the Netherlands for 5 years or more are applying for naturalisation as Dutch citizens. When they do so they are required by the Dutch authorities to renounce British nationality: 548 did so last year and a further 143 in the first quarter of 1982.

4.

The British community of Hong Kong origin is spread over every part of the Netherlands, although the main concentrations are in the great centres of population: Amsterdam, Rotterdam and The Hague. Some indication of the composition of this community is given

by the breakdown of application forms in respect of passports issued to Hong Kong Chinese CUKC's in two periods of one month September 1980 and January 1982.

Passports issued to CUKC's of Hong Kong Chinese origin

*

Men

Women

Children

September 1980

January 1982

49

16

55

43

25

32

c.c.

Mr Llewelyn

Consular Department

P J Williamson

Hong Kong and General Department