BRITISH NATIONALITY (HONG KONG) BILL
DRAFT SECOND READING SPEECH
This Bill makes provision for up to 50,000 selected key personnel
in Hong Kong to be registered as British citizens before July
1997, and for the registration of their spouses and children
under 18.
The House will be aware of the background. Since the war Britain
has granted independence to many former colonies. But never
before has it been faced with returning a territory to the
sovereignty of a communist power.
This is, moreover, a territory whose economic development has
been a remarkable success story. A community of 6 million people
has become the world's eleventh largest trading entity.
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in the continuing
need to spell out to the House the extent of Britain's stake
in terms of trade, investment and jobs
success of Hong Kong's economy. This is a case, if ever there
was one, where duty and the national interest march hand in hand.
Government.
Of course, what happens after 1997 will be largely in the hands
of the Chinese
But it is with Britain that
responsibility for Hong Kong will rest over the next seven years.
A vital step to securing Hong Kong's future was taken in 1984
with the signing of the joint declaration with China. Under this
unique document the Chinese Government undertook to maintain Hong
Kong as a capitalist enclave within a communist state two
systems within one country.
That agreement was a remarkable
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