TNAG-2158-FCO40-3078-Hong-Kong-nationality-package-Chinese-views-1990 — Page 95

the

CONFIDENTIAL

NFIDENTIAL

FM FCO

sent

12/3

TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG

TELNO 537

OF 09160OZ MARCH 90

HKC340

RECEN

13 MAR 1899

INFO PRIORITY PEKING, UKREP, JE HONG KONG

TRY

STRY

R&R

053257 MDHOAN 4815

Nat: Chipse

вмара

•

YOUR TELNO 610: UK NATIONALITY SCHEME: CHINESE VIEWS

1. MINISTERS HAVE CONSIDERED YOUR ADVICE AND THAT OF

SIR A DONALD ABOUT ACTION WITH THE CHINESE OVER OUR NATIONALITY PACKAGE. THEY HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO GO OVER THE GROUND WITH THE GOVERNOR ON 8 AND 9 MARCH. THEY ATTACH IMPORTANCE TO MAKING A SERIOUS EFFORT TO PERSUADE THEN TO ADOPT A MORE CONSTRUCTIVE ATTITUDE. OR AT LEAST TO DESIST FROM MAKING UNHELPFUL PUBLIC STATEMENTS. THEY ACCEPT THAT IN PRESENT CIRCUMSTANCES WE ARE VERY UNLIKELY INDEED TO GET THEM TO AGREE A MECHANISM WHEREBY BENEFICIARIES OF OUR SCHEME CAN BE ACCEPTED AS FOREIGN NATIONALS FOR THE PURPOSES OF CONSULAR PROTECTION. THIS MUST HOWEVER REMAIN OUR LONG TERM AIM: IT IS LIKELY TO BE A LONG HAUL, ALTHOUGH IT IS MILDLY ENCOURAGING THAT THEY HAVE BEGUN TO FOCUS ON THE ISSUE OF RENUNCIATION OF CHINESE NATIONALITY.

2. MINISTERS ENDORSE YOUR RECOMMENDATION CHONG KONG TELNO 798) THAT WE SHOULD GIVE IN-DEPTH BRIEFING TO SELECTED JOURNALISTS ALONG THE LINES YOU HAVE SUGGESTED.

3.

MINISTERS ENVISAGE THE FOLLOWING PLAN OF ACTION:

156,

(A) THE PRINE MINISTER WILL SUMMON THE CHINESE AMBASSADOR TO URGE THE NEED FOR HELPFUL CHINESE GESTURES ON HONG KONG INCLUDING IN PARTICULAR A BETTER ATTITUDE TOWARDS OUR NATIONALITY PACKAGE. (8) LORD YOUNG WILL BE BRIEFED TO CONVEY THE SAME MESSAGE TO CHINESE LEADERS DURING HIS FORTHCOMING VISIT TO PEKING (25-27 MARCH).

(C)

WE WILL GIVE THE CHINESE A DETAILED BRIEFING ABOUT THE AIMS AND CONTENT OF OUR NATIONALITY PACKAGE BEFORE THE PUBLICATION OF THE BILL. THIS COULD BE DONE IN HONG KONG (UNDER JLG AUSPICES) AND IN PEKING THROUGH THE EMBASSY

(D) IN THE MEANTIME, WE SHOULD GIVE IN-DEPTH BRIEFING TO SELECTED JOURNALISTS HERE AND IN HONG KONG ALONG THE LINES SUGGESTED IN HONG KONG TELNO 798.

4. WE NEED TO SET IN HAND THE PREPARATION OF SPEAKING NOTES FOR THE BRIEFING OF THE CHINESE. WE BELIEVE THESE SHOULD COVER: (A) STATISTICS ON EMIGRATION FROM HONG KONG AND THE NEED FOR ACTION:

(B) THE REASONS WHY WE CHOSE THE PASSPORT ROUTE RATHER THAN ENTRY

1

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