25-699: The British Nationality (Hong Kong) Selection Scheme , usually known in Hong Kong as simply the British Nationality Selection Scheme (BNSS), was a process whereby the Governor of Hong Kong invited certain classes of people, who were permanent residents of Hong Kong with the right of abode, and who were also considered British nationals under the British Nationality Act 1981 , but were not British citizens (with
50-614: A Rolls-Royce Phantom V landaulet for ceremonial occasions. Both vehicles were removed by the Royal Navy immediately following the handover to China on 1 July 1997. Hong Kong Garrison#Command The People's Liberation Army Hong Kong Garrison is a garrison of the People's Liberation Army (PLA), responsible for defence duties in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) since
75-477: A British citizen under that section of the 1990 Act after 30 June 1997. Spouses and children of those who were granted British citizenship under section 1(1) could apply for registration under Section 1(4) of the Act. All applications from spouses and children for registration under s. 1(4) were required to be made on or before 31 December 1996. To be considered for registration as a British citizen under s. 1(1),
100-469: A person was required to be settled in Hong Kong and to be one of the following: There were four classes of eligible s. 1(1) applicants: Selection of persons in the GOC and DSC classes was primarily based on a "points system". Applicants who, in addition to British nationality, held, claimed or possessed, voluntarily or involuntarily, nationality or citizenship of another country, other than (and excluding)
125-783: Is not recognised. They are not entitled to British consular protection in Hong Kong and other parts of the People's Republic of China. Governor of Hong Kong The governor of Hong Kong was the representative of the British Crown in Hong Kong from 1843 to 1997. In this capacity, the governor was president of the Executive Council and commander-in-chief of the British Forces Overseas Hong Kong . The governor's roles were defined in
150-565: The British monarch (on the advice of the Foreign Secretary ), exercised the executive branch of the government of Hong Kong throughout British sovereignty and, with the exception of a brief experiment after World War II , no serious attempt was made to introduce representative government, until the final years of British rule. The governor of Hong Kong chaired the colonial cabinet , the Executive Council (ExCo), and, until 1993,
175-552: The Hong Kong Letters Patent and Royal Instructions . Upon the end of British rule and the handover of Hong Kong to China in 1997, most of the civil functions of this office went to the chief executive of Hong Kong , and military functions went to the commander of the People's Liberation Army Hong Kong Garrison . Authorities and duties of the governor were defined in the Hong Kong Letters Patent and Royal Instructions in 1843. The governor, appointed by
200-649: The Southern Theater Command and Central Military Commission in Beijing, and informs Hong Kong Government of any actions within or around Hong Kong. There are 19 sites occupied by the Garrison across Hong Kong. According to a Reuters investigation, many of these sites are run down and not fully utilised, which has caused some to argue that the land should be returned and used for housing. The Tsing Shan firing range occupies approximately 80% of
225-529: The handover of Hong Kong in 1997. The garrison is headquartered in Chinese People's Liberation Army Forces Hong Kong Building in Central, Hong Kong . The size of the Hong Kong garrison is approximately 10,000–12,000 personnel, including members of the People's Armed Police , People's Liberation Army Navy , People's Liberation Army Air Force , and People's Liberation Army Ground Force . Prior to
250-573: The 2,750 hectares of land managed by the PLA. A secret 20th site is a radar facility in Tai Mo Shan , which was discovered in 2014, without the PLA informing the public, as required by the Garrison Law. It was not publicly recognized by the Hong Kong government until 2021. The Commander lives on The Peak at Headquarters House , 11 Barker Road. Other property owned by the Garrison includes
275-749: The Central Military Commission Xi Jinping , appointed Major General Peng Jingtang , a former People's Armed Police paramilitary commander, to lead the PLA garrison in Hong Kong. Personnel in the Hong Kong Garrison wore uniforms different from their mainland counterparts until a new set of uniforms were introduced in 2007. Motor vehicles in the military are right-hand drive, like civilian vehicles in Hong Kong, and carry number plates that start with ZG, standing for z hù g ǎng ( 驻港/駐港 ), Chinese for "[stationed] in Hong Kong." The Hong Kong Garrison reports to both
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#1732772602847300-522: The Garrison Law, the Garrison established working contacts with the Hong Kong Government , and opened the barracks on Stonecutters Island and Stanley to the public to promote Hong Kong people's understanding of and trust in the garrison forces and their personnel. Annual open house events are held to showcase the assets and combat readiness of the garrison personnel. Garrison troop rotations are also routine. In early 2022, Chairman of
325-715: The Hong Kong (British Nationality) Order 1986 specified that BN(O) status would be lost when the applicant ceased to be a BDTC. Hence, those who were registered as British citizens under the BNSS would only hold one class of British nationality. Under Chinese nationality law and the respective explanations made by the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress , the British Citizenship acquired by Chinese nationals in Hong Kong through BNSS
350-520: The adjacent Southern Theater Command . While performing its defense duties, the Hong Kong Garrison must abide by both national and Hong Kong laws, as well as the current rules and regulations of the PLA, according to the Garrison Law , a PRC law. After its entry into Hong Kong, the Hong Kong Garrison abide by the Basic Law and the Garrison Law, actively organizing military training. According to
375-618: The colony. The chief secretaries were historically drawn from the Colonial Office or British military. One Royal Navy Vice Admiral served as administrator after World War II . Four Japanese military officers (three Army officers and one naval vice admiral) served as administrators during the Japanese occupation of Hong Kong in World War II. The governor of Hong Kong used a Daimler DS420 for day to day transport and
400-468: The defense affairs of the territory. While the garrison has been considered primarily symbolic of Beijing's governance over Hong Kong, it is nevertheless asserted to be a combat-ready force. The Basic Law upon the territory provides that the CPG shall be responsible for the defense of Hong Kong and shall bear the expenditure for the garrison, whereas the colonial Hong Kong Government before 1997 had to pay for
425-400: The governors of Hong Kong were either professional diplomats or senior colonial officials, except for the last governor, Chris Patten , who was a career politician. In December 1996, the governor's salary was HK$ 3,036,000 per annum, tax-free. It was fixed at 125% of the chief secretary's salary. In the absence of the governor, the chief secretary immediately became the acting governor of
450-574: The handover in 1997, the territory was under British rule , and the defence of the territory was the responsibility of the British Forces Overseas Hong Kong , with auxiliary help from the Royal Hong Kong Regiment . The People's Republic of China (PRC) assumed sovereignty over Hong Kong on 1 July 1997 and the Central People's Government (CPG) stationed a garrison of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) in Hong Kong to manage
475-497: The maintenance of public order. The Garrison formally stationed in Hong Kong assumed defence responsibility for Hong Kong from midnight onwards on 1 July 1997. The Hong Kong Garrison includes elements of the People's Liberation Army Ground Force , PLA Navy , and PLA Air Force ; these forces are under the direct leadership of the Central Military Commission in Beijing and under the administrative control of
500-441: The military. The Garrison Law, subsequently enacted by the National People's Congress, contains specific provisions on the duties and rules of discipline of the garrison personnel, jurisdiction and other questions, to facilitate the Hong Kong Garrison in fulfilling its defence functions along legal lines. Military forces stationed in Hong Kong shall not interfere in the local affairs and the Hong Kong government shall be responsible for
525-411: The nationality of the People's Republic of China (PRC), were penalised in the points test, although it was not a bar to acceptance, selection and registration. Spouses and children of family heads who registered under s. 1(1) were eligible for registration under s. 1(4) regardless of their nationality. However, a spouse who married the family head after that person was registered under s. 1(1)
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#1732772602847550-535: The right of abode in the United Kingdom), to apply to be considered and then be selected to become registered as British citizens under the British Nationality (Hong Kong) Act 1990 . The scheme allowed at least 50,000 persons, and their spouses and children, to become British citizens by means of registration under the 1990 Act. British nationals who were permanent residents of Hong Kong with
575-545: The right of abode, who also met certain eligibility criteria, could apply to be selected to become registered as British citizens, under Section 1(1) of the 1990 Act, during two three-month periods: The Governor and the Government of Hong Kong retained the power to invite, accept, process and approve applications after 31 March 1994. However, no person could be registered by the British Home Secretary as
600-499: Was also the president of the Legislative Council . The governor appointed most, if not all, of the members of the colony's legislature (known colloquially as LegCo), which was largely an advisory body until the first indirect election to LegCo was held in 1985. Initially, both councils were dominated by British expatriates, but this progressively gave way to local Hong Kong Chinese appointees in later years. Historically,
625-483: Was required to be settled in Hong Kong on the date of the marriage to be eligible for registration under s. 1(4). Under subsection 2(2) of the British Nationality (Hong Kong) Act 1990, a BDTC who was successfully registered as a British citizen under BNSS automatically ceased to be a BDTC. While the Act did not specify the loss of applicant's British National (Overseas) status, subsection 4(3) of
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