"We felt so insecure about the return to the motherland 10 years
ago and a BNO (a simplified name for a passport of British National
Overseas) was considered a way to fly if situation in Hong Kong
became worse," David Chan recalled his rush for a BNO passport in
1996.
Sitting in a Starbucks in Central, seeing office people hurrying
around the skyscrapers, David said, "However nothing has changed,
except land in Hong Kong is getting more expensive and we are more
busy."
Being an accountant in a world famous financial company, David
felt Hong Kong is still an attractive financial center and become
even hotter due to its closer connection with Chinese mainland,
which is on a fast track of economic development.
But David said most people in Hong Kong felt a stroke and
worried about their future, when the British government announced
in 1986 that Hong Kong people's British Dependent Territories
citizenship (BDTC) status ceased to exit after midnight 1 July,
1997, the time Hong Kong starts a new era with its motherland.
Hong Kong people began to replan their life and getting a BNO
passport is the least way for self protection since a BNO holder
can travel around 88 countries or regions without applying for a
visa while the passport of newly established Hong Kong Special
Administrative Region (HKSAR) can only provide about 4 visa-free
accesses.
David remembered on 31 March, 1996, the last day for BNO
application, when over 50,000 Hong Kong people queuing over night
in Wan Chai as if they are grasping a straw of hope.
However, ten years later, the number of BNO holders in Hong Kong
reduced from 3 million to 1.5 million and people like David who
used to travel with their BNO passport now begin to take their
HKSAR passports with them.
"The reason is convenience, convenience and convenience," David
said, "HKSAR passport now can provide free-visa access to about 134
countries or regions. Besides, since Hong Kong has become part of
China, Hong Kong people is naturally recognized as Chinese when
traveling overseas. Taking a HKSAR passport with me thus become the
most convenient and natural way to identify myself."
According to statistics from Immigration Department of HKSAR,
the number of HKSAR passport holders was 1.85 million in 2003, five
years after Hong Kong's return to its motherland and the number
increased to over 4 million this year, when Hong Kong is preparing
a big celebration for its10th anniversary of returning.
David admitted, "Using HKSAR passport doesn't mean patriotic,
instead Hong Kong people are more pragmatic. They won't believe
anything until they see the fact."
"We choose HKSAR passports because they are more convenient, we
choose stay in Hong Kong because it is more alive and prosperous.
Perhaps what we haven't realized is that in the process of making
those choices we become closer to our motherland," he said.
(Xinhua News Agency June 13, 2007)