At a news conference in Beijing yesterday, Senator Carr said he raised "three consular cases" with his Chinese counterpart, the Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi, and was told China did ''not recognise dual nationality".
Asked whether that meant they were considered Chinese nationals and not Australian nationals, Senator Carr responded: "I guess that's right".
Later, on the advice of the ambassador to China, Frances Adamson, he clarified that "the Chinese government does not recognise dual nationality but where Chinese citizens have renounced their Chinese nationality and have entered China on Australian passports we can gain access to them under our bilateral consular agreement".
Chinese nationals must formally apply to renounce their citizenship before taking on a different nationality.
The former Rio Tinto executive Stern Hu, and entrepreneurs Matthew Ng and Charlotte Chou were born in China but took up Australian citizenship
Read more: http://www.bri*****anetimes.com.au/world/jailed-executives-are-chinese-carr-told-20120514-1yn4o.html#ixzz1ut7FdfU2