HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
5 July 1989
2083
War, governors were appointed by Britain during the past 140-odd years to rule Hong Kong on behalf of the British sovereign. All official letters and documents of the Hong Kong Government bore the royal insignia. Her Majesty the Queen is also the Queen of the people of Hong Kong. People born in this territory have all along been recognized as British subjects, and were issued with British passports. Before changes were made to the Nationality Act, these passport holders were allowed to enter and leave Britain freely, to settle down, study and work there.
The people of Hong Kong were actually looked upon by Britain as British citizens. On 14 September 1951, legislation was introduced to stipulate that all Hong Kong British subjects, whether male or female, must join voluntary services, including disciplinary forces such as the auxiliary police and the Civil Aid Services. At that time, the people of Hong Kong raised no objections, as that was considered a civic duty and obligation. Although such practices have later been suspended, many people with such experience are still alive. When registering for Hong Kong identity cards and entering personal particulars on other occasions, Hong Kong British subjects always fill in "British" in the column of nationality. This is another proof that those born in Hong Kong are British. As obligations and rights should go hand in hand, the Hong Kong British people should enjoy the right of abode in Britain.
The nationality of an individual is an inherent right. Under the principles of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Charter of the United Nations, regardless of a person's place of birth, be it anywhere on land, in air or at sea, he is born to become the citizen of that country or any country which has the control of such land, territorial sky, territorial waters or the mode of transport thereon. Unless he is naturalized to become a citizen of another country, his inherent nationality remains unchanged. The people of Hong Kong have no intention to change their nationality as this is their only begotten nationality and they intend to retain it. They do not want to leave their homeland where they were born and brought up, unless there is a recurrence of the Tiananmen Square incident here. In the event of such mishap who can guarantee that the people of Hong Kong will take departure safely from here? Hence, they need to have their future insured and only Britain, their sovereign state is qualified and held responsible for acting as their insurer. In so doing, the confidence of the Hong Kong people can be restored, otherwise, their worries will be intensified as 1997 is drawing near.
Britain has been founded for several thousand years; she is a civilized, advanced and democratic country. She is recognized as a prestigious country by the international community: Britain has given us the impression of being a power standing fast to cherished principles, responsible, honourable, righteous and honouring her commitments. It is for sure that she will prudently reconsider the aspirations of the Hong Kong people for they are only demanding something that rightfully belonged to them in the past. Britain should not deprive them of their birth-right as these people are really British subjects born in a British dependent territory! Hong Kong is a British colony. We do not want to see Britain disgraced over the nationality issue in the remaining years of her rule in the territory. As Britain has been generous and benevolent to the people of other British colonies such
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