TNAG-2158-FCO40-3078-Hong-Kong-nationality-package-Chinese-views-1990 — Page 177

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045204 MDLIAN 2629

LORD GLENARTHUR'S COMMENT ON PASSPORTS

THE CHINESE CLAIMED

1. THAT LORD GLENARTHUR HAD ADMITTED IN THE HOUSE OF LORDS THAT GRANTING CITIZENSHIP TO HONG KONG CHINESE WOULD CONTRAVENE THE JOINT DECLARATION.

2. WE HAVE SEARCHED THROUGH HANSARD AND BELIEVE THEY HAVE IN MIND THE FOLLOWING PASSAGE IN LORD GLENARTHUR'S STATEMENT ON 23 MARCH 1989 MADE IN RESPONSE TO LORD WYATT:

'THE NOBLE LORD, LORD WYATT, AND OTHER NOBLE LORDS SUGGESTED THAT THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT WOULD HAVE NO OBJECTION TO HIS PROPOSAL. I AM NOT SO SURE. IT WOULD CERTAINLY NOT BE RIGHT TO ATTACH ANY WEIGHT TO THE FACT THAT THE JOINT DECLARATION DOES NOT EXPLICITLY RULE OUT WHAT THE NOBLE LORD HAS IN MIND. THE CHINESE MEMORANDUM ON PASSPORT AND NATIONALITY MATTERS ASSOCIATED WITH THE JOINT DECLARATION STATES THAT UNDER CHINESE NATIONALITY LAW:

'ALL HONG KONG CHINESE COMPATRIOTS, WHETHER OR NOT THEY ARE BRITISH DEPENDENT TERRITORY CITIZENS, ARE CHINESE NATIONALS.'

IT WOULD NOT BE EASY TO RECONCILE THAT WITH THE PROPOSAL THAT 3.25 MILLION HONG KONG CHINESE SHOULD ALSO ACQUIRE FULL BRITISH CITIZENSHIP.'

3. THE CHINESE HAVE OBVIOUSLY TWISTED WHAT LORD GLENARTHUR SAID. IF THIS IS RAISED AGAIN OR IN MORE SPECIFIC TERMS THE WAY TO ANSWER THEM WILL BE TO SAY THAT LORD GLENARTHUR WAS TALKING ABOUT A SITUATION WHERE ALL BOTCS WERE GRANTED FULL BRITISH CITIZENSHIP.

WILSON

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