TNAG-1247-FCO40-1561-Press-reports-on-the-future-of-Hong-Kong-1983 — Page 32

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MKK040/2 RECEIVED IN REGISTRY NO.

-7 JUN 1983

DESK OMICR INDEX

Acap Tacen

P I WEBB, ASSISTANT POLITICAL ADVISER, HONG KONG.

FROM:

DATE:

3 JUNE 1983

FOLLOWING FOR: W MORRIS, ESQ, HKGD, FCO

COPIED TO:

RN PEIRCE ESQ., PEKING

FUTURE OF HONG KONG: PRESS COVERAGE

A CONTRIBUTOR TOWEN WEI PO IN A FEATURE ARTICLE ON 31 MAY ARGUED THAT A SOLUTION OF THE 1997 ISSUE WOULD INEVITABLY ENTAIL QUOTE HONG KONG PEOPLE RUNNING HONG KONG UNQUOTE (GANGREN ZHIGANG) UNDER CHINESE SOVEREIGNTY. A DEFINITION OF QUOTE HONG KONG PEOPLE UNQUOTE WAS THEREFORE A FUNDAMENTAL QUESTION.

2. THE CONTRIBUTOR SAID THAT THE HONG KONG PEOPLE WHO ADMINISTERED HONG KONG IN THE FUTURE SHOULD SATISFY TWO REQUIREMENTS. THEY MUST BE LOCAL RESIDENTS AND MUST HAVE ACQUIRED CHINESE NATIONALITY (ACCORDING TO A LEGAL, RATHER THAN RACIAL, CRITERION). WHEN CHINA HAD RECOVERED HONG KONG AND TURNED IT INTO A SPECIAL ADMINIST- RATIVE REGION (SAR), CHINESE NATIONALITY WOULD BE ACQUIRED BY BIRTH IN HONG KONG OR BY QUALIFICATION OF RESIDENCE FOR A SPECIFIED PERIOD OF TIME. SUCH PEOPLE WOULD BECOME QUOTE CHINESE (NATIONALS) IN HONG KONG UNQUOTE (ZHONGGUO DE XIANGGANG REN) PROVIDED THAT THEY RENOUNCED ANY OTHER PREVIOUS NATIONALITY. HOWEVER, THEY WOULD BE FURTHER DISTINGUISHED FROM OTHER CHINESE CITIZENS BY THE DESCRIPTION QUOTE CHINESE CITIZENS OF THE HONG KONG SAR UNQUOTE (ZHONGGUO XIANGGANG TEBIE XINGZHENGGU GONGMIN), BUT TRAVEL OVERSEAS AS CHINESE CITIZENS HOLDING CHINESE PASSPORTS.

3. QUOTE HONG KONG PEOPLE UNQUOTE WOULD ENJOY LEGAL PROTECTION IN ACCORDANCE WITH CHINA'S AND THE HONG KONG SAR'S LEGAL SYSTEM. ONLY QUOTE HONG KONG PEOPLE UNQUOTE WOULD ENJOY THE VARIOUS POLITICAL AND CIVIL RIGHTS ATTACHING TO CITIZENSHIP OF THE SAR.

4. QUOTE HONG KONG PEOPLE UNQUOTE WOULD BE REQUIRED TO BE QUOTE PATRIOTIC. UNQUOTE ALL COUNCILLORS AND MEMBERS OF THE FUTURE SAR GOVERNMENT WOULD BE REQUIRED TO TAKE AN OATH TO ABIDE BY THE LOCAL SAR CONSTITUTION (STATING THAT HONG KONG WAS A PART OF CHINA'S TERRITORY) AND OPPOSE QUOTE TWO CHINA UNQUOTE THINKING.

SIGNED:

PI WEBB

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