TNAG-2193-FCO40-3130-Hong-Kong-nationality-package-1990 — Page 122

HOUSE OF COMMONS

LONDON SWIA OAA

Rt. Hon. Douglas Hurd, CBE, MP, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Whitehall,

LONDON, SW1A 2AH

and

Rt. Hon. David Waddington, QC, MP,

Home Office,

50 Queen Anne's Gate,

LONDON, SW1H 9AT

Otras los adralk Sys reply by 2812 yossimi Mande

M Mclaren

Murliding in

16th February, 1990.

ром

Nfound

2/2

Да Dan Douglas

I believe your letter to colleagues on the subject of your proposed Bill to allow British citizenship to be granted to a maximum of 50,000 key people and their families in Hong Kong to be profoundly mistaken. It will not restore confidence in Hong Kong's future but will confirm the fears of Hong Kong people that Britain, like they are, is uncertain about the future of Hong Kong under Chinese Sovereignty. It is an admission that we do not trust the Chinese and that our Treaty, based on the joint declaration of 1984, was not founded on our belief that the Chinese would abide by their undertakings to permit two systems to co-exist in one country. It seriously undermines confidence in the future. How can we say we believe the future of the other six million or so Hong Kong people is secure whilst offering the best qualified leadership the opportunity of escape through the back door.

Other countries who are not party to the agreement with China will continue to offer to well qualified Chinese from Hong Kong inducements to leave, which will be accepted, and there is nothing we can do about that except to reassure those who stay that they have nothing to be frightened about and to replace those with essential skills on short term contracts.

Each person in Hong Kong has to face the future under Chinese Sovereignty and be determined to make it work. For us to say that for 50,000 we will make special arrangements in case it does not work is an admission of a lack confidence that it will.