TNAG-2194-FCO40-3131-Hong-Kong-nationality-package-1990 — Page 201

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

London SW1A 2AH

246

Mrs N Webb

Lon ford

6 Milton Road

Addlestone

Weybridge

Surrey

KT15 1JB

Dear this Webb,

Telephone 01-

Your reference

Our reference

18

The 40/428 March 1990

нко

RECEIVE!

Date

25MAY 1990

DESK OFFICER

GISTRY

INDEX

PA

Action Taken

attached

Thank you for your letter of 1 March to the Prime Minister. I have been asked to reply.

Britain's last major responsibility of empire is to secure the best possible future for Hong Kong. There is a clear duty to maintain good government and prosperity in Hong Kong up to 1997 and, we hope, beyond. This is a matter of honour for Britain.

It is also in Britain's interest to keep Hong Kong prosperous. Many jobs in this country depend upon it. Britain's total trade with the territory amounts to over £4 billion a year. Our investments there including equity investment, banking interests and so on amount to many billions of Pounds a massive stake by any measure. About 1,000 British companies operate in Hong Kong. There is thus no contradiction between the interests of the British people and those of the Queen's subjects in Hong Kong A collapse in Hong Kong would be a bad blow to us all.

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The Government's scheme is designed to encourage people to stay in Hong Kong, not to come to Britain. Talented and enterprising people are leaving Hong Kong in growing numbers. Countries like Canada and Australia which have selective immigration policies welcome the doctors, teachers, managers and engineers. This exodus of professional skill threatens both Hong Kong's prosperity and her good government during the last seven years of British rule.

Most of these emigrants would prefer to stay in Hong Kong. Almost all of them are ethnic Chinese. Their families, their careers and their businesses are based in the territory. But because of events in mainland China they also want the assurance of a foreign passport which would enable them to settle abroad if they became convinced that they had no future in Hong Kong. At present, they can normally gain such an assurance only by emigrating and settling in the country where they hope to acquire citizenship.

JAZABQ