G.F. 316
SECRET 高度機密
Page No. 2 of 9 pages
Visa Office
3.
:
After a prolonged gestation (agreement in principle was reached in 1979), the Visa Office of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs has officially opened. The staff originally' arrived in June 1980 but returned to China seven months later
when it became apparent that the negotiations over function, status and privileges would be protracted. The role of the Office, as now agreed, will be the issue of visas to persons (other than Chinese residents of Hong Kong) intending to visit China. The staff total eleven and are headed by a Foreign
Affairs official of considerable experience in various Chinese
posts overseas. Some of the initial actions and requests by the Office suggest that it will need close monitoring to ensure that the terms of the agreement are closely adhered to.
4.
China Resources Co. appear once again to have had to yield control of certain exports through Hong Kong to other State organisations. The China National Textile Import and Export Corporation and the China National Machinery and Equipment Import and Export Corporation are setting up companies in Hong Kong to handle the re-export of bed linen and machinery respectively. However China Resources may be indirectly associated with the new textile company.
Investment
5.
Arising from the attempts being made by the Chinese authorities to attract Hong Kong investment in the development of the Guizhou coal industry and the associated improvement of the railway system (para 4, September 1981 Report) the Chartered Bank in Hong Kong, which together with the Hong Kong and Shanghai Bank has been invited to participate, has had the railway improvement scheme surveyed. It estimates the cost of improving the 700 kms of railway line at HK$1 m. per km.
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