TNAG-2185-FCO40-3122-Ethnic-minorities-in-Hong-Kong-1990 — Page 190

special category within the scheme: the non ethnic

Chinese minorities will be eligible to apply for British

citzenship under the scheme and each application will be

treated on its merits.

As you know, in recognition of the particular

concerns of the ethnic minorities in Hong Kong, the

Government have already taken steps to reassure them

about their position after 1997. We have made provision

for the children and grandchildren of former BDTCs born

after 1997 to acquire British Overseas Citizenship if

they would otherwise be stateless.

And we have also

given a specific assurance in Parliament that if, against

all expectations, the ethnic minorities came under

pressure to leave Hong Kong in the future, and had

nowhere to go, we would expect the government of the day

to consider their case for admission here with

considerable and particular sympathy. We stand by that

undertaking.

The Council have also expressed concern about the

absence of clear provisions on how non-Chinese people can

prove that they have taken Hong Kong as their place of

permanent residence. As you know, the Joint Declaration

makes explicit provision for non-Chinese people to have

right of abode in the Hong Kong Special Administrative

Region and this is fully reflected in Article 24(4) of

the draft Basic Law. The Hong Kong Government recognise

that the Immigration Ordinance of 1987 will have to be

further amended to bring Hong Kong law completely into