TNAG-2160-FCO40-3080-Hong-Kong-nationality-package-Chinese-views-1990 — Page 29

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010415

MDHI 0531

COMMITMENT BY ENACTING THE BRITISH NATIONALITY (HONG KONG) ACT 1990 IN AN ATTEMPT TO ACCORD A NUMBER OF HONG KONG CHINESE CITIZENS FULL BRITISH CITIZENSHIP, INCLUDING THE RIGHT OF ABODE IN THE UNITED KINGDOM. THIS MOVE OF THE BRITISH SIDE CONTRAVENES THE SPIRIT AND ESSENCE OF THE RELEVANT AGREEMENT BETWEEN CHINA AND BRITAIN AND THE SINO-BRITISH JOINT DECLARATION AND IMPAIRS CHINA'S SOVEREIGNTY. IT IS SOMETHING UNACCEPTABLE TO THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT

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THE CHINESE SIDE SOLEMNLY STATES THAT THE ''BRITISH CITIZENSHIP GRANTED TO A NUMBER OF HONG KONG CHINESE CITIZENS BY THE BRITISH SIDE ACCORDING TO THE ''BRITISH NATIONALITY (HONG KONG) ACT 1990'' WILL NOT BE RECOGNIZED BY THE CHINESE SIDE. AFTER THE RETURN OF HONG KONG TO CHINA ON 1 JULY 1997, THE UNITED KINGDOM MUST NOT PROVIDE CONSULAR PROTECTION TO THESE CHINESE CITIZENS IN THE HONG KONG SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION AND OTHER PARTS OF CHINA, AND THESE CHINESE CITIZENS MUST NOT USE ''BRITISH CITIZENS' PASSPORTS'' FOR ENTRY INTO AND EXIT FROM THE REGION AND OTHER

PARTS OF CHINA.

THIS ERRONEOUS ACTION OF THE BRITISH SIDE ON THE QUESTION OF THE NATIONALITY OF HONG KONG CHINESE CITIZENS WILL INEVITABLY CAUSE CONFUSION IN THE HONG KONG SOCIETY TO THE DETRIMENT OF A SMOOTH TRANSITION AND OF STABILITY AND PROSPERITY OF HONG KONG. THE BRITISH SIDE IS BENT ON LOOKING FOR ''BENEFICIARIES'' OF THE ''BRITISH NATIONALITY CHONG KONG) ACT 1990'' IN THE KEY POSTS IN HONG KONG, THUS SETTING OBSTACLES TO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PROVISION OF THE SINO-BRITISH JOINT DECLARATION, I.E. ''THE GOVERNMENT OF THE HONG KONG SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION WILL BE COMPOSED OF LOCAL INHABITANTS''. HERE THE CHINESE SIDE SOLEMNLY POINTS OUT THAT THE BRITISH SIDE MUST BEAR ALL THE CONSEQUENCES

ARISING FROM ITS ACTION. THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT RESERVES THE RIGHT TO TAKE FURTHER MEASURES AT AN APPROPRIATE TIME IN RESPONSE

TO THE ERRONEOUS ACTION OF THE BRITISH SIDE.

THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT HAS ALL ALONG SCRUPULOUSLY ABIDED BY INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENT. WHATEVER DIFFICULTIES IT MAY ENCOUNTER, THE CHINESE SIDE WILL, AS ALWAYS, EARNESTLY IMPLEMENT THE SINO-BRITISH JOINT DECLARATION ON THE QUESTION OF HONG KONG AND ADHERE TO THE PRINCIPLE OF ONE COUNTRY, TWO SYSTEMS''. AFTER THE SIGNING OF THE JOINT DECLARATION, CHINA AND BRITAIN ONCE HAD GOOD CONSULTATIONS AND COOPERATION ON THE QUESTION OF HONG KONG. IT IS OUR HOPE THAT THE BRITISH SIDE WILL TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION THE INTERESTS OF BILATERAL RELATIONS AND MAINTENANCE OF HONG

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