TNAG-2159-FCO40-3079-Hong-Kong-nationality-package-Chinese-views-1990 — Page 113

March 1990 Page 2

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Conservatives Abroad in Hong Kong are strongly of the view that the UK has definite obligations towards Hong Kong and its people, which are potentially in conflict with that pledge. The Government's proposals represent an honourable and sensible attempt to reconcile these conflicting obligations.

The Government's proposals are arguably in conflict with the letter (or spirit) of the Joint Declaration, on the basis that 'sovereignty' over a territory at least implicitly encompasses sovereignty over those normally resident in the territory.

This is perhaps a matter for constitutional lawyers to determine, but as a general point the UK should not at this time be particularly conciliatory towards Chinese sensitivities on such a debatable point, particularly since now, under UK sovereignty, Hong Kong has many inhabitants owing allegiance to foreign countries, including many Hong Kong-born Chinese with Canadian, US or Australian passports. Part of Hong Kong's current strength derives from its international character, and continuance of this will be essential for Hong Kong's prosperity post-1997.

Recent surveys show the UK as rather low in Hong Kong Chinese' priority destinations for migration; the inference being that the UK should not rush to grant passports to people unappreciative of Britain and who might merely use a British passport as a stepping stone to somewhere else.

The contrary view is that Britain's low ranking is more a reflection of the relative difficulty in obtaining residence there rather than a particular unappreciation of the country. And if it were the case that Hong Kong Chinese full British passportholders would migrate elsewhere (or nowhere) from Hong Kong, that should please the anti-immigration lobby in the UK, and would be fully consistent with the Government's innovative purpose in granting passports without the usual pre-requisite of residence in the UK.

Integration into the UK of a significant number of Hong Kong Chinese could be problematical and burdensome, given that (it was stated) 70% of Chinese in Hong Kong live in subsidised housing, there may be language difficulties for children coming to the UK and the Chinese, inclined to believe themselves racially superior, may not contribute to overall racial harmony in multi-racial UK.