Nationality law of the People's Republic of China territory "before or after" their transfer of sovereignty to China are regarded as "born in China". Those who are of ethnic Chinese origin are Chinese nationals before and after the handovers. Having said that, people born in Hong Kong or Macao in the years before handover, were usually given British nationality (mostly British Dependent Territories Citizenship) and full Portuguese citizenship, based on British and Portuguese laws. For Hong Kong residents, the "Interpretation" of the Nationality Law was adopted at the Nineteenth Session of the Standing Committee of the Eighth National People's Congress on May 15, 1996, a year prior to
Nationality law of the People's Republic of China the Hong Kong handover and came into effect on July 1, 1997. The "Interpretation" provide details concerning the implementation of Chinese Nationality Law on Hong Kong residents, and the main idea of the Interpretation is that all Hong Kong residents of Chinese descent who were born in the Chinese territories are considered Chinese nationals, whether or not they have acquired the "right of abode" in foreign countries. In effect, this means foreign nationalities under the respective foreign laws. The reason for referring to the foreign "right of abode" instead of foreign nationality is to avoid making an exception to, or