TNAG-2038-FCO40-2902-Ministerial-visits-from-the-UK-to-Hong-Kong-1991 — Page 45

The

transmissible to the holder's children thereafter. Chinese Memorandum states that "Hong Kong Chinese compatriots", whether or not they hold BDTC passports (and by extension BN (0) passports), are considered by the Chinese Government to be Chinese nationals and will not be entitled to British consular protection in Hong Kong or other parts of China after 30 June 1997. At present about 60,000 people hold a BN (0) passport.

Non-Chinese ethnic minorities.

6.

They

Special provision has been made for the approximately 11,000 non-Chinese ethnic minority BDTCs in Hong Kong.

too can become BN (0)s before 1 July 1997. Their children born thereafter will, for two generations, be able to acquire British Overseas Citizenship if they would otherwise be stateless. These provisions were made because there was uncertainty as to whether non-ethnic Chinese would be able to obtain Chinese nationality after 1997. The Government has also given an assurance that any solely British national who comes under pressure to leave Hong Kong could expect to have his case considered by the Government of the day with special and considerable sympathy.

Comparisons with Macao

7.

Comparisons have been made between British nationality law as it affects Hong Kong and Portuguese nationality law as it affects Macao. Portuguese nationality law has long granted Portuguese nationality to those born in Portuguese territory of Portuguese parents. The Portuguese Nationality Act 1981 confirmed that children of Portuguese citizens born in Macao could continue to acquire that nationality but the same Act ended the automatic acquisition of nationality by children born to non-Portuguese in Macao. Right of abode in Portugal has always been granted to Portuguese passport holders in Macao whatever their racial origin. There is no accurate information available on the numbers of Portuguese passport holders in Macao: the best estimate is that a maximum of 100,000 people there have or are eligible for

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