British nationality law and Hong Kong the wording of "British Dependent Territories" with "British Overseas Territories" in "British Nationality Act, 1981" among other new provisions, further clarification was made even though this act did not even apply to Hong Kong. Section 14 of the subsequent "Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act, 2002", stated specifically that a person may not be registered as a British Overseas Territories Citizen (BOTC) by virtue of a connection with Hong Kong. A small group of Hong Kong ethnic minorities had not been eligible for acquiring British citizenship under the "British Nationality (Hong Kong) Act, 1997" because they were not ordinarily resident in
British Hong Kong the Convention of Chuenpi during the First Opium War. On 20 January, Elliot announced "the conclusion of preliminary arrangements", which included the cession of Hong Kong Island and its harbour to the British Crown. Elliot chose Hong Kong instead of Chusan because he believed a settlement further east would cause an "indefinite protraction of hostilities", whereas Hong Kong's harbour was a valuable base for the British trading community in Canton. British rule began with the occupation of the island on 26 January. Commodore Gordon Bremer, commander-in-chief of British forces in China, took formal possession of the island at Possession Point,