SECRET
130025
MDHIAN 9616
SOVEREIGNTY. IT IS NOT DIRECTLY RELATED TO THE CONCEPT OF HONG KONG BEING BRITISH TERRITORY AND NONE WILL BE ENTITLED TO IT JUST BECAUSE OF A CONNECTION WITH HONG KONG.
I) IF CHINESE SIDE NOW CHANGE THEIR POSITION AND TREAT ALL PERSONS IN HONG KONG OF CHINESE RACE AS CHINESE CITIZENS IRRESPECTIVE OF WHAT PASSPORT THEY HOLD, IT WILL CREATE SERIOUS COMPLICATIONS. IT IS LIKELY TO ENCOURAGE THOSE WHO BENEFIT FROM THE PACKAGE TO LEAVE, AND IT WILL ALSO DISCOURAGE OTHER CHINESE WHO HAVE ACQUIRED FOREIGN NATIONALITIES ABROAD FROM RETURNING. BESIDES, IT WOULD NOT/NOT BE POSSIBLE IN PRACTICE FOR THE CHINESE TO DISTINGUISH PERSONS OF CHINESE RACE WHO HAVE ACQUIRED BRITISH OR OTHER NATIONALITY WITHOUT LEAVING HONG KONG FROM THOSE WHO HAVE ACQUIRED IT IN BRITAIN OR IN OTHER WAYS. A PRAGMATIC SOLUTION NEEDS TO BE FOUND AS A ONE-OFF MEASURE TO COPE WITH THE ANOMALOUS NATIONALITY POSITION WHEN HONG KONG REVERTS TO CHINA (TO GIVE ONE EXAMPLE OF ANOMALITY, IT HAS IN PRACTICE NOT BEEN POSSIBLE BEFORE 1997 FOR PERSONS IN HONG KONG TO EXERCISE THEIR RIGHT OF RENUNCIATION OF CHINESE NATIONALITY UNDER THE CHINESE NATIONALITY LAW.) SUCH A PRAGMATIC SOLUTION CAN, WE BELIEVE, BE RECONCILED WITH THE CHINESE NATIONALITY LAW.
WILSON
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8
NO DISTRIBUTION
MR PAUL HKD
MR BURNS, NEWS
MR MILLINGTON, FED
PS
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DISTRIBUTION
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PS/MR MAUDE
PS/PUS
MR GILLMORE
MR MCLAREN
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