Opinion ID: 764897
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: The State Department's Position

Text: 29 The State Department's view, communicated to us by the Justice Department at our request, is that: 30 [I]n the last analysis, Hong Kong nationals, including corporations, [were] subjects of United Kingdom sovereignty. While the United States views Hong Kong as largely autonomous in most respects, as a matter of recognition, it deal[t] with Hong Kong through British authorities, since Hong Kong [was] ultimately subject to United Kingdom sovereignty. The various international agreements between Hong Kong and the United States [were] identified in the State Department's authoritative Treaties In Force under United Kingdom sovereignty. The Consular Convention between the United States and the United Kingdom identifie[d] citizens of the United Kingdom's colonies (including corporations) as U.K. nationals for purposes of relations between the two countries. This approach [was] mirrored in the underlying legal structure under which [a Hong Kong] corporation was created. The Letters Patent for Hong Kong issued by the British Crown [made] clear that ultimate sovereignty and authority, including final approval of all laws, [was] reserved to the British Crown. Since the ultimate sovereign authority over [a Hong Kong corporation was] the British Crown, [it] should be treated as a subject of United Kingdom sovereignty for purposes of alienage diversity jurisdiction. Gov't Brief at 6-7. 4