TNAG-2638-FCO40-3830-Future-of-Hong-Kong-nationality-ethnic-minorities-1992 — Page 22

HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

18 November 1992

108

香港立法局

一九九二年十一月十八日

108

Government regards these as a travel document. Now in Hong Kong there are two systems of travel documents. We have BDTC and BNO passports, which is the type I hold. That is regarded as a passport. There is also what is called a travel document, even today, and that is the green coloured certificate of identity which I believe the Honourable Allen LEE and the Honourable CHIM Pui-chung hold. Now, if you look at the Basic Law it also says post-1997 the Special Administrative Region of Hong Kong will be able to issue passports. It will also be able to issue travel documents. Passports and travel documents are different, Mr Deputy President, even today. The British passport enjoys free of visa entry into 70-odd countries where the CI only enjoys these privileges for, as far as I know, Singapore and South Africa, which I suggest Mr CHIM could go to for a holiday if he wished.

Now, post-1997, the Chinese ethnic population in Hong Kong has less of a worry in this context. According to the Chinese constitution we are also Chinese citizens. But SAR passports can only be issued to Chinese nationals who are permanent residents of the SAR. What about the non- Chinese nationals? Are they to be left with only a travel document that might be, in comparison, worse off than today's CI? I believe that the ethnic minorities do have a dilemma which is unique and therefore we must find a unique solution. One may ask then: what is to stop the ethnic minorities post-1997 to apply to become Chinese citizens so that they will not become stateless?

Mr Deputy President, I am not aware of whether there are any clear cut procedures and rules for people who are non-Chinese to apply for Chinese citizenship although I know of one particular case, a very famous case. I believe an ethnic American if there is any such thing as an ethnic American did become a Chinese citizen and he was Mr MARHAIDA who had been in China since the Japanese war and fought with the communists during the revolution. I believe many of our ethnic minorities here would not qualify in that respect. Now this American, having gained Chinese nationality, I am not sure whether he gained it through clear cut procedures and rules or whether it was only a reward for what he had done.