TNAG-1751-FCO40-2471-Future-of-Hong-Kong-Parliamentary-debates-1988 — Page 94

CONFIDENTIAL

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MDHIAN 4084

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IN THE TERM ''HONG KONG PERMANENT RESIDENT' TO INCLUDE PERSONS

PREVIOUSLY DESCRIBED AS ''HONG KONG BELONGERS AND ''CHINESE RESIDENTS' AND DELETED THE LATTER TWO TERMS FROM THE PRINCIPAL

ORDINANCE, AS A CONSEQUENCE THESE TERMS NEEDED TO BE SIMILARLY

REPLACED WHEREVER THEY APPEARED IN OTHER LEGISLATION. IN THE CASE

OF THE ELECTORAL PROVISIONS ORDINANCE, SECTION (81) IMPOSES A

SEVEN-YEAR RESIDENTIAL QUALIFICATION ON VOTERS WHILE SECTION 8(2) ORIGINALLY EXEMPTED 'HONG KONG BELONGERS'' FROM THAT REQUIREMENT.

THE REPLACEMENT OF HONG KONG BELONGER BY ''HONG KONG PERMANENT

RESIDENT' IN SECTION 8(2) EXTENDED THE EXEMPTION TO PERSONS WHO

WERE PREVIOUSLY ''CHINESE RESIDENTS'' AND, ON THE SURFACE GAVE THEM AN ADVANTAGE. THIS IS HOWEVER ILLUSORY SINCE, IN ORDER TO

QUALIFY FOR ''HONG KONG PERMANENT RESIDENT'' STATUS. SUCH PERSONS

WILL HAVE TO HAVE SATISFIED A SEVEN-YEAR RESIDENTIAL

QUALIFICATION IN THE FIRST PLACE.

WILSON

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CONFIDENTIAL