TNAG-2185-FCO40-3122-Ethnic-minorities-in-Hong-Kong-1990 — Page 205

CONFIDENT IAL

Associations estimate that the number of ethnic minority BDTCs who

have no other form of nationality available to them is now less than

6,000, including dependants. They argue that it is this group,

rather than ethnic minority BDTCs as a whole, who will be the most

vulnerable after 1997 and who should therefore be given British

citizenship.

Concerns of the Ethnic Minorities

8. The main concern of the non-Chinese ethnic minorities in Hong

Kong is that they could become stateless after 1997 because

(a)

the Chinese memorandum associated with the Joint Declaration

makes no provision for the ethnic minorities to become Chinese

nationals.

(b)

the new status of British National (Overseas) which was created

under the British Nationality (Hong Kong) Order 1986 is not

transmissible to the holder's children.

(c)

moreover, as the law stands, the ethnic minorities have no

means of proving that they have taken Hong Kong as their place

of permanent residence in order to qualify for right of abode

in Hong Kong under Article 24(4) of the draft Basic Law.

Measures taken to meet their conerns

9. In recognition of the potential vulnerability of the ethnic

minorities after 1997, the Government have already taken the

following measures to safeguard their position:

(a) Special provision was made under the British Nationality (Hong

Kong) Order 1986 for ethnic minorities who might otherwise be

stateless, to be granted British Overseas citizenship for 2

generations beyond 1997.

(b)

Lord Glenarthur gave an assurance in the House Of Lords on

KEWAAF (3)

CONF IDENT IAL