'Foreign' children sidelined by Hong Kong's racist policy

I refer to the article by Alvin Sallay ("Hong Kong's very own Celtic Tiger", March 15) about Jack Combes, a Hong Kong-born teenager picked to play rugby for the Ireland Under-18 Clubs.

Sallay says, "Under eligibility laws, Combes can represent Ireland due to the nationality of the parent or grandparent. Being Hong Kong-born, he can also represent the city."

What he does not mention is that, with respect to Ireland, a Chinese boy, for instance, could also represent Ireland if he was born there and his parents proved they have a genuine link to Ireland. This link can be evidenced by their having lived in Ireland legally for three out of the four years before the child's birth.

Ireland does not require any citizen to renounce foreign citizenship. What Sallay does not mention with respect to Hong Kong, is that being born here only applies if you are of Chinese descent. Children born in Hong Kong but of foreign, that is, non-Chinese descent, are not eligible to represent Hong Kong even if their parents have been born and lived their whole lives in Hong Kong.

My wife and I are foreigners who have lived in Hong Kong continuously for over 20 years and are Hong Kong permanent residents. Our children were born in Hong Kong and this remains their home.

Not only did they have to wait until they were 11 years old to get their Hong Kong identity card, but they cannot obtain a Hong Kong passport without having to surrender their foreign passport.