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 breaching, the basic principle of Chinese Nationality Law on non-recognition of dual nationality, and also because China regards foreign control of Hong Kong as illegitimate, thus refuses to recognize the British nationality bestowed on ethnic-Chinese people who were born or naturalized in Hong Kong. Legally speaking, Hong Kong residents with Chinese nationality do not lose their Chinese nationality automatically upon acquiring foreign one(s), because Hong Kong itself is not recognized as a foreign territory whether before or after 1 July 1997, and automatic loss of Chinese citizenship requires settlement in a foreign country. Persons with BN(O) or British Citizenship acquired