Hong Kong: Information on whether the 1984 agreement between the Government of the United Kingdom and the Government of the People's Republic of China indicate what will be the status of holders of Hong Kong certificates of identity after 1 July 1997
| Publisher | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada |
| Author | Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board, Canada |
| Publication Date | 1 November 1994 |
| Citation / Document Symbol | HKG18875.E |
| Cite as | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Hong Kong: Information on whether the 1984 agreement between the Government of the United Kingdom and the Government of the People's Republic of China indicate what will be the status of holders of Hong Kong certificates of identity after 1 July 1997, 1 November 1994, HKG18875.E, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/3ae6acf544.html [accessed 19 May 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
The 1984 Sino-British Joint Declaration on the Question of Hong Kong does not specify what will be the status of holders of Hong Kong certificates of identity after 1 July 1997. However, according to annex 1 of the declaration, all Chinese nationals who hold permanent identity cards of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government of the People's Republic of China would be issued, in accordance with the law, passports of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government (1984, 50). These passports would be valid for all states and regions and would record the holder's right to return to Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (ibid.).
The number of holders of Hong Kong certificates of identity was estimated to be 2.32 million in 1989 (Financial Times 22 June 1989).
The 1984 joint declaration stated that the following categories of people shall have the right of abode in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region after 1 July 1997:
all Chinese nationals who were born or who have ordinarily resided in Hong Kong before or after the establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region for a continuous period of 7 years or more, and persons of Chinese nationality born outside Hong Kong of such Chinese nationals;
all other persons who have ordinarily resided in Hong Kong before or after the establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region for a continuous period of 7 years or more and who have taken Hong Kong as their place of permanent residence before or after the establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, and persons under 21 years of age who were born of such persons in Hong Kong before or after the establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region;
any other pesons who had the right of abode only in Hong Kong before the establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region" (1984, 49-50).
This response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the DIRB within time constraints. This response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum.
References
Financial Times [London]. 22 June 1989. John Elliott. "The Urge for Insurance Against the Worst." (DIRB country file)
Sino-British Joint Declaration on the Question of Hong Kong. 1984. Beijing: Foreign Language Press.
Attachments
Financial Times [London]. 22 June 1989. John Elliott. "The Urge for Insurance Against the Worst." (DIRB country file)
Sino-British Joint Declaration on the Question of Hong Kong. 1984. Beijing: Foreign Language Press, pp. 29-62.
