4.9
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Redacted
Junder FOI exemption 27(1)
Joint Declaration by means of an exchange of memoranda. In effect we agreed to differ over the nationality status of BDTCs/BN (0) s.
4.
This compromise lay behind the attitude taken by Chinese spokesmen during mid-1989 when the possibility of British passports for key Hong Kong personnel was raised. Zhou Nan for example told the PAC in Peking in April 1989 that it was "a matter for the British authorities." However, following the Secretary of State's
statement of 20 December, Chinese spokesmen made clear that they regarded our intention to grant full citizenship as a breach of the Joint Declaration. It emerged that their earlier apparently neutral stance had been based on the belief that we would not go through with any plan to give full citizenship to large numbers of Hong Kong
Chinese.
We are satisfied that the scheme is consistent with the Joint
Declarationi
6. The only solution at least for the foreseeable future would
therefore be to continue to agree to differ with the Chinese over
our differences the nationality question. Whilst we will probably never reconcile of principle, it will be necessary eventually to seek to minimise
practical difficulties, (eg. use of British passports for travel in
and out of the Hong Kong SAR.) However, there is a matter on which our legal position is not strong, and which the Chinese have chosen
to bring to hand. The latest statement was by Foreign Minister
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