TNAG-1259-FCO40-1599-The-Future-of-Hong-Kong---special-study-by-FCO--August-1982--1983 — Page 246

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In international law terms these people are

UK'

or 'British'

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

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

However a proposal that they should be so described in our

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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

13. 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:

(i) 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

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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/(b)

The PRC,