TNAG-2047-FCO40-2917-Visits-by-staff-of-the-Department-of-Trade-and-Industry-to-H-1990 — Page 167

HONG KONG BACKGROUND BRIEF: JULY 1990

HONG KONG: POLITICAL

A. NATIONALITY

1.

Nationality has long been a sensitive issue in Hong

Kong. There is considerable resentment there that British

nationals in Hong Kong are subject to UK immigration

control, and do not have the right to enter Britain freely

and settle here.

2. The total population of Hong Kong is 5.73 million (of

which 43% were born after 1962). About 3.28 million of them

are British Dependent Territories Citizens (BDTC) by virtue of birth or naturalisation in Hong Kong.

Post-1997 position

3. The nationality and immigration position of Hong Kong

BDTCS after 1997 was addressed in the two Memoranda

exchanged by HMG and the Chinese Government when the 1984 Sino-British Joint Declaration was signed. The British

Memorandum recognised that no-one could continue to derive

BDTC status from a connection with Hong Kong after it ceased

to be a British dependent territory. Accordingly, the new

status of British Nationals (Overseas) (BN(0)) was created

under the Hong Kong (British Nationality) Order 1986. This

status, which does not carry the right of abode in the UK,

can only be acquired before 1 July 1997 and is not

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

The

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