d) BDTCs of Indian origin in Hong Kong have made it plain through their Council that they wish to continue to live in Hong Kong. Granting them British citizenship, and thus right of abode in the United Kingdom, will not help to do this.
Their future is safeguarded by the agreement.
e)
There is no substance in the suggestion (made by the council of Hong Kong Indian Associations) that the Agreement with the Chinese, or the provisions of Article 6, are racially
based. The Government recognise an obligation to ensure that no-one is left stateless in 1997. The provisions made will apply to any former Hong Kong BDTCS, whatever their ethnic origin, who do not become BN (0)s and who would otherwise be stateless, and their children and grandchildren. To grant
British citizenship to the non-ethnic Chinese BDTCs simply on the grounds that they will not be regarded as Chinese nationals would in itself be racially discriminatory. Further-
more, it could
lead to claims for similar treatment
from the Chinese Hong Kong BDTCs. Such claims, which would
have to be denied under the terms of the Agreement, would be deeply divisive in Hong Kong at a time when we should be doing all we can to promote harmony and confidence.
f) The provisions of Article 6 will enable non-ethnic Chinese Hong Kong BDTCs and their descedents to retain a form of British nationality for 3 generations, until about the middle of the next century. By then the link with Britain will be more than
tenuous. The Government believe that the right way for these
people who are living in what will by then have been part of China for over 50 years will be to seek Chinese nationality.
g) The position would be exactly the same if the non-ethnic
An under- Chinese BDTCs were to be granted British citizenship. lying principle of our nationality law for many years is that our citizenship can be transmitted to only one generation born abroad. The children born outside the United Kingdom after
1997 to non-ethnic Chinese would therefore be British citizens by descent, and could not transmit that citizenship to the next generation, ie the grandchildren. That generation will
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