TNAG-1428-FCO40-1911-Future-of-the-Hong-Kong-public-service-1985 — Page 28

CONFIDENTIAL

C of 27 September 1984,

of

indicated that the practice

restricting certain posts to British nationals would be

discontinued.

5. Hong Kong have concluded that there is no good reason

delay the removal of this restriction.

to

They have

already ceased with effect from 28 March to recruit

expatriates to the Administrative

contract terms.

For recruitment

Service on

other than

to the Administrative

Service on pensionable terms, Hong Kong now propose to replace the requirement for British nationality with the

requirements that appointees should:

(a) have resided in Hong Kong for not less than seven

years (and thus both qualify as "Hong Kong belongers" under the Hong Kong Immigration Ordinance

and be recognised as having right of abode in Hong Kong under the provisions of Section XIV of Annex I

to the Joint Declaration); and

(b)

6.

have knowledge of English and Chinese.

Hong Kong propose to use these criteria in advertising their next recruitment exercise in mid-September. They have consulted the Hong Kong Public Service Commission, and intend to inform EXCO of

EXCO of the new requirements. do not foresee any adverse public reaction to the change.

They

7. I can see no reason to query Hong Kong's proposal,

which accords with the terms of the Agreement and

represents a logical step in the localisation of the senior ranks of the Hong Kong public service before 1997. The requirements that Hong Kong propose to put in place of

the British nationality criterion se em reasonable. The

requirement that candidates should have good English and

Chinese will inevitably favour Hong Kong Chinese applicants, but need not exclude expatriates altogether:

Will, an

does the residence

IN practice it will, qualification is CONFIDENTIAL