TNAG-1382-FCO40-1830-Future-of-Hong-Kong-nationality-and-citizenship-1985 — Page 187

4. IT IS THEORETICALLY POSSIBLE TO ENVISAGE AN APPROACH TO THE CHINESE SEEKING AN UNDERTAKING THAT ALL SECOND

GENERATION BOC'S WOULD AUTOMATICALLY BE GIVEN CHINESE NATIONALITY AT BIRTH. IT SEEMS VERY UNLIKELY INDEED THAT THEY WOULD GIVE SUCH AN ASSURANCE, NOR IS THIS COURSE LIKELY TO BE ACCEPTABLE TO THE MINORITY COMMUNITIES HERE WHO WISH TO MAINTAIN A BRITISH CONNEXION SO THIS COURSE IS UNLIKELY TO PRODUCE A WAY OUT. THE MINORITY COMMUNITIES WOULD FAVOUR EVENLESS A SYSTEM WHICH WOULD REQUIRE THEIR CHILDREN TO APPLY INDIVIDUALLY FOR CHINESE NATIONALITY, BE REFUSED, BEFORE THEY COULD APPLY FOR BOC STATUS.

AND

5. ON BALANCE THEREFORE THE MOST DEFENSIBLE COURSE WOULD BE TO FOLLOW THE EXCO PRINCIPLE THAT BDTC'S SHOULD ONLY LOSE THOSE RIGHTS WHICH THE CHINESE WILL NOT PERMIT TO CONTINUE.

6. I SHOULD BE GRATEFUL TO KNOW WHAT CONCLUSION YOU REACH. I WOULD NEED TO INFORM EXCO MEMBERS BEFORE ANY PUBLIC STATEMENT IS MADE.

YOUDE

HONG KONG AGREEMENT: NATIONALITY.

LIMITED

HD/HKD

HD/FED HD/NTD

RESEARCH DEPT.(MR WALKER )

PS

PS/MR LUCE

PS/LADY YOUNG

PS/PUS

SIR W HARDING MR WILSON

COPIES TO:

MR ROBERTS, NEWS DEPT.

MR BURROWS, LEGAL ADVISERS

MR GRAINGER, LEGAL ADVISERS MR HYDE, HOME OFFICE

MR NICHOLSON, PASSPORT DEPT, HOME

OFFICE.

MR EMERY, B4 DIV, HOME OFFICE,

CROYDON.

CONFIDENTIAL