TNAG-2940-FCO40-4216-Future-of-Hong-Kong-nationality-ethnic-minorities-1993 — Page 95

126

HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

10 March 1993

香港立法局

一九九三年三月十日

126

So, Mr President, in rising to speak for the motion I urge this Council speak with one voice and the Hong Kong Government throw its weight strongly behind this voice to Britain that they must undertake their moral responsibilities for these small numbers of ethnic minority residents of Hong Kong and offer them, without condition, full British nationality.

MR STEPHEN CHEONG: Mr President, the motion before us today is one that is worthy of our support in every aspect. I and my Co-operative Resources Centre colleagues will have no reservation to vote "aye" to Miss LAU's motion.

Since a lot of grounds have been covered by Miss LAU when she moved her motion I do not intend to go over old grounds. I would simply like to remind the British Government that Hong Kong, in the history of being the United Kingdom's colony, has contributed a lot in the interest of the sovereign state. Blood of our citizens, whether they were of ethnic minorities or otherwise, was shed in fighting Britain's war. Economic and trading interests were sacrificed in upholding the sovereign state's fight with other countries of the world. There should be no doubt that Hong Kong has fully lived up to the expectation of being loyal to our sovereign

state.

Mr President, the call on the British Government to grant full British citizenship to approximately 7 000 ethnic minority citizens in Hong Kong is indeed very modest. Is it really too much to ask the sovereign state to discharge just a small part of their obligations and responsibilities? Would it be an honourable thing for Britain to do, if they were to deny our modest requests while granting full British citizenship to almost all who live in the colonies of Gibralter and Falklands? Could it be that the differentiation of treatment of citizens of different colonies is due to just a different coloration of their skin? One has no choice but to so wonder if the sovereign state government continues stubbornly to say no.

Mr President, I wholeheartedly support the motion.

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