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CHESHAM PL ASSOC
Lady Thatcher remarked on the changes which had occurred in China since the original negotiations which she believed would continue. The economic freedoms developing in China would lead to other changes. Already a culture of commercial law was developing and other legal progress would follow.
3. Miss Lau raised the issue of extending qualification for full British passport entitlement. All Hong Kong citizens should be protected by the guarantee of British Passports. She was supported in this by Miss Loh. Miss Lau challenged the British Government to do more under the current legislation covering the issuing of British citizenship to "key" individuals and their dependents. The estimate of the number of people involved in total had been much higher than was proving in reality therefore there should be room to expand the scheme to cover the perceived shortfall.
Lady Thatcher pointed out the difficulties raised in the granting of British passports. Domestic political reality restrained the number people the British Government could allow to have full rights. The experience over the last few years within western Europe of massive immigration from Eastern Europe and currently from the Balkans made the question an even more sensitive one today. Lady Thatcher saw no possibility of re-opening discussions on this. She pointed out the original rights granted to "key" individuals were not governed by the number of their dependents. It was likely that the number of "key" people taking up the opportunity of possessing a British passport would be the same as originally calculated and the intentions of the measure would he met in full.
In connection with the passport issue Miss Lau raised the scenario where the Chinese Government did not meet its undertakings after 1997. The people of Hong Kong would have no protection from the British Government and no right of abode in the UK. Lady Thatcher did not feel such a situation would arise because it would not be in China's interests. But if such a scenario did come about then Britain alone would be in no position to cope with the numbers of people involved. The issue would have to be internationalised.
4. Miss Lau questioned China's record on Human Rights and insisted on the need to secure Human Rights in Hong Kong after 1997. All three LegCo members pointed out China was not a signatory to the International Covenant of Civil and Political Rights.
Lady Thatcher recognised their concerns but also felt change would come to China itself in time.
Miss Lau presented Lady Thatcher with a document entitled "URGENT BUSINESS : Hong Kong, Freedom of Expression and 1997" - a joint report of Article 19 and the Hong Kong Journalists Association. The three LegCo members maintained the report outlined current powers held by the Governor which could be dangerously misused if allowed to continue beyond 1997 and they asked for Lady Thatcher's help in having the powers removed.
Lady Thatcher accepted the report and said she would pass on their concerns to the Governor.
2003
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