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 case, their non-Chinese nationality or citizenship is simply ignored by the Chinese authorities. Further, Hong Kong and Macau residents who acquire foreign citizenship while settled abroad, and who therefore legally lose Chinese citizenship under Article 9 are, in practice, treated as Chinese nationals unless they undertake the administrative step of notifying the change of nationality to the authorities of the respective territories. The declaration is not enforced, so such persons who return to reside in Hong Kong and Macau are treated as Chinese nationals owing to Article 3. Although it is generally difficult to have "de facto" dual nationality of