CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO
TO
IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
TELNO 1263
OF 051705Z JULY 90
CONFIDENTIAL
нео 34012
RECEIVER
REGISTRY
42
123434
MDHOAN 1974
TOP POPY
AND TO IMMEDIATE UKREP JLG HONG KONG, PEKING
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Action Taken
NATIONALITY BILL: EURASIANS
1. WE HAVE COME UNDER CONSIDERABLE PRESSURE DURING THE PASSAGE OF THE BILL TO MAKE SPECIAL PROVISION FOR MEMBERS OF THE EURASIAN,
OR ANGLO-CHINESE, COMMUNITY ON GROUNDS THAT THEY WILL BE VULNERABLE AFTER 1997 BECAUSE OF THEIR ANTECEDENCE.
THEIR ANTECEDENCE. MINISTERS ARE NOT DISPOSED TO MAKE ANY SPECIAL PROVISION WITHIN THE BILL BUT HAVE CONFIRMED IN PARLIAMENT THAT ASSURANCES GIVEN TO MEMBERS OF THE NON-ETHNIC CHINESE MINORITIES IN HONG KONG WOULD ALSO APPLY TO EURASIANS. HOWEVER, WE ARE CONCERNED THAT THESE ASSURANCES WOULD ONLY APPLY IF EURASIANS ARE NOT/NOT REGARDED AS CHINESE BY THE PRC
AUTHORITIES. PARAGRAPH 4 OF THE CHINESE NATIONALITY LAW CASTS DOUBT ON THIS PROSPECT. WE THEREFORE NEED A NEW LINE TO TAKE
WHICH TAKES ACCOUNT OF THE POSSIBILITY THAT THE EURASIANS MAY BE
REGARDED AS CHINESE.
2.
WE WOULD BE GRATEFUL FOR YOUR COMMENTS ON THE FOLLOWING LINE TO TAKE, PARTICULARLY THE REFERENCE IN PARA (C) TO THE POSSIBILITY
OF DISCUSSING THE POSITION OF THE EURASIANS WITH THE CHINESE
AUTHORITIES. THIS IDEA WAS BASED ON A SUGGESTION MADE BY LORD
MACLEHOSE WHEN HE CALLED ON MR LLOYD AND LORD FERRERS ON 26 JUNE.
QUOTE
(A) IT IS ARGUED THAT EURASIANS MAY BE AT RISK WHEN SOVEREIGNTY
OVER THE TERRITORY REVERTS TO THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA IN 1997, BECAUSE OF THEIR ANTECEDENCE. MINISTERS HAVE GIVEN CAREFUL CONSIDERATION TO THE POSITION OF THE EURASIAN COMMUNITY. HOWEVER, IT IS THE GOVERNMENT'S VIEW THAT IF ANY EURASIANS ARE
NOT TO BE REGARDED AS 'CHINESE' AFTER 1997, THE SAME SAFEGUARDS AVAILABLE TO THE OTHER MEMBERS OF THE NON-CHINESE ETHNIC
MINORITIES WHO ARE ORDINARILY RESIDENT IN HONG KONG WOULD ALSO
APPLY TO THEM. THE NON-CHINESE ETHNIC MINORITIES' RIGHT OF
ABODE IN THE SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION OF HONG KONG IS
PROTECTED IN THE SINO-BRITISH JOINT DECLARATION AND THE BASIC
LAW. IN ADDITION, THE HONG KONG (BRITISH NATIONALITY) ORDER
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