A
Mamutris
CONFIDENTIAL
13/% мизки, ния
Mary Howls.
Joder Cona
[HKC340/1
-5 SEP 1990
FROM: A R. Paul
170
Nat; Chinese,
Hong Kong Department
DATE: 31 August 1990-
cc: Mr Burns
Mr Fifoot, Legal Advisers
(Ps/herd Caithnes)
4/9
Munster
PS/Lord
Caithness
HONG KONG: BACKGROUND BRIEFING
1.
Thank &
2/8-
Lord Caithness had two questions about Miss Marsden's submission of 22 August:
(i) is there a problem between the UK and Chinese
memoranda associated with the Joint Declaration?; and
(ii) how does China react to the Morrison Bill?
The UK and Chinese Memoranda
2.
Chinese nationality law does not recognise dual
citizenship. But during the negotiations leading to the
Joint Declaration, the Chinese acknowledged that a number of Hong Kong people would wish to continue to carry British passports. It was clear, however, that the Chinese would
not countenance the continued use of the term British
Dependent Territories Citizen in relation to Hong Kong
people (nor would it have been appropriate after Hong Kong
ceased to be a Dependent Territory). As a result, two
separate memoranda were drafted. The UK memorandum stated
that former British Dependent Territories Citizens would be
"eligible to retain an appropriate status which, without conferring the right of abode in the United Kingdom, will
entitle them to continue to use passports issued by the
KIPAEU/1
CONFIDENTIAL
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