TNAG-1381-FCO40-1829-Future-of-Hong-Kong-nationality-and-citizenship-1985 — Page 73

5. INDEPENDENT PRESS: THERE WAS MINIMAL EDITORIAL COMMENT. WAH KIU MAN PO REITERATED THAT THE NEW TITLE WAS NOT AS IMPORTANT AS THE RIGHT TO TRAVEL FREELY ASD TO HAVE ACCESS TO CONSULAR PROTECTION ABROAD. THE PAPER ARGUED FOR BRITAIN TO MACE A CAMPAIGN TO GAIN RECOGNITION OF THE NEW TITLE. (SCMP REPORTED THAT BRITISH DIPLOMATIC MISSIONS ABROAD WERE GEARING UP TO DO THAT). IN THE SCMP, BRIAN TISDALL CRITICISED THE ORIGINAL TIMESCALE FOR THE HK BILL, SAYING THAT IT WAS OUTRAGEOUS THAT THE PEOPLE DIRECTLY CONCERNED HAD SO LITTLE TIME TO CONSIDER THE MATTER. IN THE STANDARD, MARGARET NG GENERALLY AGREED WITH ENOCH POWELL'S POINT IN THE DEBATE, AND NOTED THAT

11 NATIONAL 1 1

WAS A TERM MORE LOOSELY LINKED WITH DRITAIN THAN CITIZEN''

"

5. LEFTWING PRESS: A COLUMNIST IN TA KUNG PAO ENTERED THE DEBATE OVER THE BEST CHINESE TRANSLATION FOR BNO, AND SAID THAT IT WAS NOT SO IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT WAS PURELY A MATTER FOR BRITAIN AND THERE WOULD BE NO CONSTITUTIONAL LINK BETWEEN BRITAIN AND HK. A COLUMNIST IN NEW EVENING POST SAID IN THE LIGHT OF AN INDIAN RESIDENT WORRIED ABOUT NOT TRANSMITTING HIS NATIONALITY TO HIS DECENDANTS, THAT PEOPLE BORN IN HK AFTER 1997 WOULD HAVE CHINESE NATIONALITY, A COLUMNIST IN TIN TIN DAILY NEWS WONDERED WHY SOME PEOPLE WERE WILLING TO BECOME SECOND-CLASS BRITISH CITIZENS RATHER THAN FIRST-CLASS CHINESE CITIZENS. A COLUMNIST IN CENTRE DAILY NEWS DID NOT BELIEVE THAT THE UMELCO TRIO'S VISIT TO LONDON HAD ACHIEVED ITS PROFESSED AIMS.

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