TNAG-2197-FCO40-3147-Hong-Kong-nationality-package-1990 — Page 4

The Rt Hon Lynda Chalker MP

House of Commons

London

SW1A OAA

Thank you for your letter of 15 December enclosing one from the Wirral Borough Council about their

resolution on Hong Kong.

We have made it clear that it would be impossible

for the Government to give right of abode in the United Kingdom to all British Dependent Territories Citizens in Hong Kong. That would be an enormous new immigration commitment on an unprecedented scale. It would be totally unacceptable to the British Parliament.

The British Nationality (Hong Kong) Act provides for

full citizenship to be given to 50,000 key people from

all walks of life in Hong Kong, and their dependents,

without their having to leave the territory. By

encouraging such people to remain in Hong Kong and to

continue to contribute to Hong Kong's success, the Act

should benefit the whole community.

The Resolution also refers to contacts with the

Chinese authorities. The Government are conducting a

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