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 citizenship in another country does not lose Chinese nationality. As Article 3 states that China does not recognize dual citizenship, under Chinese law the foreign nationality is not recognized. For example, in 2006, a Chinese citizen who was not settled in Guinea Bissau, but who acquired Guinea Bissau nationality (under local law) by virtue of an investment migration scheme, attempted to enter China on a Guinea Bissau passport and Chinese visa. Chinese border control confiscated the Guinea Bissau passport, on the basis that the person remained solely a Chinese citizen under Chinese law, and so it was illegal for that