“——-་པ་་-་ -----——-དག--་་*
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031344
MDHOAN 406
CHINESE NATIONALITY LAW, IT WAS ALWAYS ON THE CARDS THAT THEY WOULD REACT IN THIS WAY AND THAT THEY WOULD NONETHELESS SEEK
TO EXCLUDE SUCH BENEFICIARIES FROM PUBLIC SERVICE POSITIONS RESERVED FOR CHINESE NATIONALS. A POSITION OF THIS KIND WOULD OF COURSE BE INCONSISTENT, AND IT COULD CAUSE ADMINISTRATIVE NIGHTMARES (EG, HOW TO DISTINGUISH BETWEEN HONG KONG CHINESE WHO HAD ACQUIRED THEIR BRITISH NATIONALITY THROUGH RESIDENCE IN THE UK AND THOSE GIVEN IT UNDER OUR SCHEME). BUT IT SEEMS UNLIKELY THAT WE WILL MAKE MUCH HEADWAY WITH ARGUMENTS THAT BENEFICIARIES SHOULD/SHOULD BE ABLE TO CALL FOR BRITISH PROTECTION IF NECESSARY.
5. YOUR SECOND TUR REPORTS A QUOTE DECISION UNQUOTE OF THE BLDC POLITICAL SYSTEM SUB-GROUP TO ADD A STIPULATION THAT HOLDERS OF CERTAIN KEY POSTS SHOULD NOT HAVE RIGHT OF ABODE ABROAD TO THE PROVISIONS ABOUT CHINESE NATIONALITY ALREADY IN THE BASIC LAW. IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO KNOW WHETHER IN PRACTICE THIS IS LIKELY TO MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE. WOULD NOT MOST OF OF THOSE HOLDING QUOTE RIGHT OF ABODE UNQUOTE ELSEWHERE HAVE OBTAINED IT BY ACQUIRING A FOREIGN PASSPORT?
6. IT IS A RELIEF THAT THE SUB-GROUP SEEMS TO HAVE
DROPPED THE IDEA OF IMPOSING A CHINESE NATIONALITY REQUIREMENT
ON MEMBERS OF LEGCO.
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OUR GENERAL IMPRESSION, THEREFORE, IS THAT THE CHINESE HAVE SO FAR IMPOSED NO NEW NEW RESTRICTIONS AND THAT, LU PING'S STATEMENT ABOUT CONSULAR PROTECTION APART, THEIR LINE HAS NOT HARDENED SIGNIFICANTLY FOLLOWING THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF OUR NATIONALITY PACKAGE. THE SECRETARY OF STATE WILL, HOWEVER, WISH
TO SEE SOME CONSIDERED ANALYSIS OF LU PING'S REMARKS AND THEIR IMPLICATIONS QUICKLY. HE WILL BE HOLDING AN OFFICE MEETING AT 090OZ TOMORROW, 19 JANUARY, AND IT WOULD BE HELPFUL IF YOUR AND PEKING'S INITIAL COMMENTS COULD BE TELEGRAPHED TO REACH ME BY
DESKBY 1908OOZ.
HURD
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