CONFIDENTIAL
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See 7
CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO
TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
TELNO 2378
OF 27190OZ NOVEMBER 89
HICO TOP/COPY
Q DIST?
INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG
-3
PEKING TELNO 2040 AND YOUR TELNO 3868:
CHINESE ATTITUDES
PM.
042000 MDHOAN 8501
NATIONALITY PACKAGE:
1. THIS RECENT SPATE OF REPORTS MEANS THAT WE MUST ACCELERATE OUR CONSIDERATION OF HOW AND IN WHAT TERMS TO BROACH THE QUESTION OF THE NATIONALITY PACKAGE WITH THE CHINESE. IT IS POSSIBLE FOR EXAMPLE THAT THEY WILL RAISE IT AT JLG XIV UNDER AGENDA ITEM 1. WE WERE GRATEFUL FOR THE INITIAL COMMENTS IN TURS AND LOOK FORWARD TO RECEIVING YOUR FURTHER VIEWS (YOUR TELNO 3859 REFERS).
CHINESE CONCERNS ABOUT OUR INTENTION ON THE NATIONALITY PACKAGE SEEM TO CENTRE ON TWO POINTS:
2.
(A) CONFLICT WITH THE TERMS OF THE EXCHANGE OF MEMORANDA
ASSOCIATED WITH THE JD, OR WITH THE CHINESE NATIONALITY LAW. (B) DUAL ALLEGIANCE.
EXCHANGE OF MEMORANDA
3. WE ARE FAXING TO YOU AND PEKING A MINUTE FROM OUR LEGAL ADVISERS OF 12 MAY 1989 WHICH ADDRESSES THIS. THE ARTICLE IN TA KUNG PAO OF 22 OCTOBER IS ALSO RELEVANT. WE SHOULD BE GRATEFUL FOR YOUR ASSESSMENT OF HOW PRAGMATIC THE CHINESE MIGHT BE PREPARED TO BE. FOR EXAMPLE, WOULD THEY TURN A BLIND EYE TO HONG KONG CHINESE WHO ACQUIRE A FOREIGN PASSPORT THROUGH OUR SCHEME BUT DO NOT/NOT UNDERTAKE THE FORMALITIES NECESSARY TO RENOUNCE THEIR CHINESE NATIONALITY (PARAGRAPH 4 OF THE TA KUNG PAO ARTICLE REFERS). OR WOULD THE CHINESE FEEL IT NECESSARY TO TAKE A POSITION OF PRINCIPLE AND PERHAPS MAKE UNHELPFUL STATEMENTS WHICH MIGHT HAVE THE EFFECT OF UNDERMINING THE CONFIDENCE BUILDING PURPOSE OF OUR NATIONALITY PACKAGE. WHAT IMPACT WOULD IT HAVE ON POSSIBLE BENEFICIARIES OF THE SCHEME TO KNOW THAT CHINA WOULD CONTINUE TO REGARD HONG KONG RESIDENTS WITH FULL BRITISH CITIZENSHIP AS CHINESE NATIONALS IF THEY STAYED IN
HONG KONG?
DUAL ALLEGIANCE
4.
WE SEE SOME FORCE IN PEKING'S POINT THAT THE REASON THE CHINESE HAVE NOW FELT THE NEED TO COMMENT ON THE NATIONALITY
ISSUE
IS THEIR WIDER SUSPICION THAT WE INTEND SOMEHOW TO USE IT TO MAINTAIN POLITICAL INFLUENCE IN HONG KONG AFTER 1997. THE WEN WEI PAO EDITORIAL OF 22 NOVEMBER MAKES THIS POINT EXPLICIT WHEN IT SAYS
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