A
B
27
Mr Cortazzy
Cortazgy
HKK 345 2
५.
CONFIDENTIAL
虫
矩
No tod By Acker
CHINESE VISA OFFICE IN HONG KONG
Problem
1.
(46)
Mr. Machern, HKGD
You have already Despatcted the telegram
8AM-7/8
I agree
Her Collages.
"3/viid
We agreed in May that the Chinese should be allowed to
establish a visa-issuing office in Hong Kong. There have since
been a number of exchanges with the Chinese about the title of
this office. They now wish to give it a name which would make
it clear that it was subordinate to the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs in Peking. Should we agree?
Recommendation
see 38
(1980064)
2=
I submit a draft telegram to Hong Kong which I recommend
the Minister of State should see before despatch. FED agree.
The telegram should if possible issue on Monday, 6 August, to
enable the Governor to consult his Executive Council on 7 August.
Background
3=
The Minister of State approved my submission of 14 May
recommending that the Chinese should be allowed to open a visa-
issuing office in Hong Kong. The main argument for this was
that it would meet a practical need and thus undermine the
Chinese case for fully-fledged official representation.
4.
Our original idea was that visas should be issued by the
China Travel Service in Hong Kong. The NCNA said that this would
not be acceptable and suggested that the office should be known.
as the "Hong Kong Visa Office of the Foreign Affairs Bureau of
Guangdong Province". We agreed (my submission of 31 May).
However, the NCNA have now told the Political Adviser that a link
with a local provincial organ is not thought appropriate by Peking
and have proposed two alternative titles:
CONFIDENTIAL
/ (i)
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