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Growing demand proof of trust in Beijing, says academic. City
University's James Sung.
The SAR passport, top, is becoming as popular as the BNO document. - STAFF
PHOTO
The growing popularity of the SAR passport is a sign that public trust
of the mainland is rising, according to an analyst.
City University political science professor James Sung believes that besides the
obvious factor of the increased convenience of the SAR passport, the trend is
also the result of people's growing trust in China as the country's status on
the international stage is in the ascendancy.
"Several years have elapsed since the handover and it appears that the average
Hong Kong citizen feels less distrustful of the mainland,'' he said.
"There is a feeling that there is a strong country supporting us.''
The number of SAR passport applications has increased rapidly in the past couple
of years. Almost one in three SAR passports currently held have been issued
since January 2003.
The total number of SAR passport holders now stands at 3.03 million, nearly one
million more than last January's 2.13 million, according to the Immigration
Department.
At the end of 1997, the year of its introduction, 335,658 people successfully
applied for an SAR passport.
By 2003, the number of SAR passports issued annually was 423,179. This year, the
number has grown by more than 50,000 in just the first nine months of the year
to 476,514.
At the end of 1997 there were 3.44 million British Nationals Overseas (BNO)
passport holders. The British Consulate declined to release the current number
of BNO passport holders.
Hong Kong citizens can hold both kinds of passports.
China has been cultivating an international diplomatic network, especially as a
leader to third-world countries, and its efforts are largely successful, said
Sung.
"While its international status has risen greatly, that of Britain appears to be
on the decline,'' he said. "Britain's diplomatic network is now weaker than
China's and many British diplomatic offices abroad, especially in remote [parts
of] Africa, have been scaled down due to lack of resources.''
Sung also said China has improved its international image by coming to the aid
of distressed Chinese abroad.
The British Consulate denied allegations that the BNO passport is in decline and
stressed that holders of the passport are entitled to consular protection from
more than 400 British diplomatic missions around the world.
"The main advantage is the benefit of being protected by one of the most
experienced and extensive diplomatic networks in the world.
"It's like a 10-year insurance policy,'' a consulate spokeswoman said.
The Immigration Department website shows that there are 214 Chinese diplomatic
and consulate missions around the world, but Sung estimated that the total
number, including office branches, exceeded 500.
The government began issuing the SAR passport to Chinese citizens with right of
abode in Hong Kong and who held Hong Kong permanent identity cards in July
1997.
Before the handover, Hong Kong residents travelled on either the Certificate of
Identity (COI), the British Dependent Territories Citizen (BDTC) passport, or
its successor the BNO.
Many Hong Kongers hold both the SAR and BNO passports, but the number of expired
BNO passports, which were not issued after July 1997 but which can be renewed,
is unknown.
Over the years the SAR passport has gained international recognition, with 132
countries and territories now granting their holders visa-free access, compared
to fewer than 50 in 1998.
BNO holders, on the other hand, can travel visa-free to only about 100
destinations.
For example, European destinations such as Germany, France and Spain have
granted visa-free access to SAR passport holders but not to BNO holders.
SAR passport holders can also apply for the Australian electronic visa over the
Internet, while BNO holders must apply through travel agents or airlines.
Last month, the British Consulate had to quash rumours that Thailand had revoked
visa-free entry to BNO holders. The visa situation for BNO document holders has
been uncertain since a 1997 visa-free agreement between Thailand and Hong Kong
expired in June.
On the government's ESD Life website, the SAR passport is also advertised as
obtainable with a much lower application fee (HK$320 for a 32-page adult SAR
passport, compared to HK$850 for the renewal of a 32-page BNO document).
Before the handover there was widespread confusion about citizenship and right
of abode of passport holders. While the majority of BNO holders, for example,
were also eligible to apply for the SAR passport, members of ethnic minority
groups feared they would be left stateless after the handover.
Legislator Albert Chan, who has assisted many people of Pakistani descent over
passport issues, said ethnic minorities were discouraged by Immigration
Department staff when they attempted to apply for an SAR passport.
"They must undergo naturalisation and to apply they have to pay around HK$3,000
and meet 10 criteria, including ability to speak Chinese, period of stay, and
financial soundness,'' said Chan.
The department claims that the success rate for naturalisation is over 80 per
cent.
In 2001 a new law barred holders of foreign travel documents from running for
Chief Executive - effectively barring half of the population who held BNO
passports.
sylvia.hui@globalchina.com
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