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HKCK 34.5 i
RELA
FM PEKING 22317Z FEB 83
TO PRIORITY HONG KONG
TELEGRAM NUMBER 1 OF 22 FEBRUARY 9?
INFO FCO
No REAR
25/2. pp
FOLLOWING FOR POLITICAL ADVISER AND IMMIGRATION DEPT.
VISAS FOR PRC OFFICIALS TRAVELLING TO HONG KONG
1. AT A MEETING WITH FIRST SECRETARY ON 21 FEBRUARY TO DISCUSS OTHER QUESTIONS, YUAN XIANGONG, DIVISION DIRECTOR OF CONSULAR DEPARTMENT, MEA, RAISED THE QUESTION OF OFFICALS FROY GUANGDONG AND FUJIAN PROVINCES TRAVELLING TO AND THROUGH HONG KONG. PRESENT ARRANGEMENTS REQUIRED THAT THE 1R PASSPORTS BE SENT TO PEKING FOR VISAS TO BE ISSUED. HE WONDERED WHETHER IT MIGHT BE POSSIBLE TO AVOID DELAY AND INCONVENIENCE BY SOME ALTERNATIVE ARRANGEMENT, WHEREBY, FOR EXAMPLE, CHINA TRAVEL SERVICE WOULD INSTEAD PRESENT APPLICATIONS AND PASSPORTS TO IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT, HONG KONG. IF THIS WERE NOT ACCEPTABLE, PERHAPS WE COULD SUGGEST SOME ALTERNATIVE WHICH WOULD NOT NECESSITATE PASSPORTS BEING SENT TO PEKING. WE PROVISED TO SEEK YOUR VIEWS.
2. FROM OUR POINT OF VIEW THIS SEEMS A SENSIBLE SUGGESTION, NOT LEAST SINCE IT WOULD HELP REDUCE SOME OF THE PRESSURE ON OUR VISA SECTION. IT WOULD HELP TO ELIMINATE CURRENT DELAYS BETWEEN THE ISSUE OF VISAS AND NOTICE REACHING IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT FOR THE LARGE PROPORTION OF OFFICIAL DELEGATIONS TRAVELLING FROM THESE TWO PROVINCES.
3. IT MIGHT ALSO BE USEFUL TO BE ARLE TO OFFER THIS FACILITY IF IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT WERE UNABLE TO AGREE TO THE ISSUE OF MULTIPLE ENTRY VISAS. (THOMSON'S LETTER CECO 341/303/1 OF 12 FEBRUARY TO ORR REFERS.)
See il
CRADOCK
Fines
MVD
HK vGD FED
MILL CORTAZZI MR MURRAY.
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