TNAG-1259-FCO40-1599-The-Future-of-Hong-Kong---special-study-by-FCO--August-1982--1983 — Page 140

SECRET":

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Suely.

His entitles BOTCS

In international law terms these people are 'UK' or 'British'

من

'nationals' for the purpose of protection by HMG abroad and

do

could continue to be so if Hong Kong were administered by the UK.

However, a proposal that they should be so described in our

domestic law was resisted by the Government during the passage

of the British Nationality Bill because of the possible impli-

cation that in the last resort the people/of Hong Kong could

enter the United Kingdom.

Conclusions on Citizenship and Nationality

1473.

The choice of citizenship for Hong Kong people under {

arrangements providing for continuing British administration will

need to reconcile the conflicting "interests of:-

(a) HMG, who will wish to ensure:

(1) that those arrangements are workable. and inspire confidence locally, which implies British responsibility for external relations, and therefore for the protection of Hong Kong people in third countries other than China, which in turn implies the retention of some form

istionelty

of British citizenship; but

(ii) that existing`immigration commitments from Hong Kong are if possible reduced, and certainly not increased; and

(iii) that there is no sudden slide in

confidence which would lead to demands

from Hong Kong people without the right of abode in the UK to be admitted here.

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7

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/(b)

The PRC.