"
"The new controls will not apply to tourists and visitors to the Colony including those who come here on business trips. Such visitors will be allowed to stay here for a period of up
to three months without a visa.
"The controls will also not apply to persons who belong to Hong Kong or to the United Kingdom, that is to say, persons holding Hong Kong passports or British passports unless they are endorsed to show that they have been issued on behalf of another British territory. Persons born, naturalised or registered as British subjects either in Hong Kong or in the United Kingdom will be able to continue to come here freely and without the need of a visa.
"The new scheme will in no way affect the existing arrangements for the entry of people from China or Macau. Nor will it affect in any way whatsoever the movement of Hong Kong residents holding travel documents issued by the Director of Immigration.
"It is the intention that the position of Commonwealth citizens already living in Hong Kong would be safeguarded."
4. In fact the scheme proposed represents a relatively lenient measure of control. It does not apply to bona fide tourists or businessmen visiting the Colony (and these two categories represent the great majority of persons entering Hong Kong at any time) and it is specifically aimed at controlling the influx of unskilled persons seeking to take up residence and employment in Hong Kong.
5. It was announced in Hong Kong on 27 August that the scheme would be brought into force on 8 September.
Hong Kong Department 30 August, 1969