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The following is a statement given by the Acting Chief Executive, Mrs Anson Chan, on the setting up of a special task force on the Right of Abode issue after the ExCo meeting this (Tuesday) afternoon:

"The Court of Final Appeal's recent ruling considering the Right of Abode of children born in the Mainland, I know that there is considerable public concern and this is clearly a matter that the Government places a great deal of importance on. Over the weekend, the Director of Immigration has already gone to Beijing to discuss with the relevant authorities possible follow-up actions and in particular to get a better idea of the potential pool of eligible people who can come to Hong Kong to reside. He is returning this afternoon and I should be listening to his report of how the discussion has gone with a view to deciding on the way forward. In view of the importance of this subject and the concern that clearly is in the public, I had decided to set up a special task force both to assess the numbers involved and also, in particular, to look at the demand on various services and how we are going to plan and to cope with the influx of people. Our objective is to ensure that people will come in in an orderly fashion. For the immediate future, our task is to ensure that the border controls are exercised with the greatest of care. We have the full co-operation of the Mainland authorities and I want to stress that anybody who claims to have the Right of Abode in Hong Kong, must first of all obtain a Certificate of Entitlement. Anybody who illegally comes into Hong Kong without the Certificate of Entitlement will be sent back to the Mainland immediately."

End/Tuesday, February 2, 1999.

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Acting Chief Executive announces setting up of a special task force (Chinese part)