GRS 275
CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG 168130Z AUGUST 81
TO PRIORITY F C O
TELEGRAM NUMBER 748 OF 16 AUGUST
TC.
HRR 345/4
RECEIVES IN RACISTLEY NO. 31
17 AUG 1931
Q:SK OFFICER
INDER
INFO PRIORITY PEKING ROUTINE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON
ملل
£25.8.
M I PT AND PEKING TEL NO 529 (PARAS 9-10): CHINESE COMPLAINTS ABOUT TRANSIT ETC.
22
REGISTRY Action Taken
Flos 2018
see/ 26
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1. ALLEGED DISCRIMINATION.
(A) THE 15 APRIL COMPLAINANT MAY HAVE BEEN A 75 YEAR OLD OVERSEAS CHINESE, YAO WANGTING, WHO HAD LIVED IN THE PHILIPPINES FOR 50 YEARS AND HELD A TAIWAN PASSPORT UNTIL 1979. HE WAS INTERVIEWED BY AN EXPERIENCED OFFICER WELL AWARE OF 2 CHINAS ' SENSITIVITIES. YAO MAY HAVE BEEN ASKED, IN ROUTINE QUESTIONING, WHY HE CHANGED PASSPORTS, BUT THE INTERVIEWING OFFICER WOULD
NOT HAVE SPOKEN AS ALLEGED.
(B) WE SUGGEST THE EMBASSY SHOULD SAY THAT THERE IS NO RECORD OF AN IMMIGRATION OFFICER SPEAKING AS ALLEGED. NOR IS IT LIKELY.
THE REPORT TO LIU MUST HAVE BEEN GARBLED. WITHOUT FULL DETAILS IT IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR US TO CHECK FURTHER. WE ARE ALWAYS WILLING TO INVESTIGATE GENUINE COMPLAINTS. BUT GENERALISED COMPLAINTS DO NOTHING TO HELP SOLVE THE PRACTICAL PROBLEMS WHICH ARE BOUND TO ARISE WITH THE MASSIVE INCREASE IN TRAVEL WHICH HAS
ACCOMPANIED IMPROVED RELATIONS.
2. CANCELLED PASSPORTS.
GRATEFUL IF THE EMBASSY WOULD SAY THAT THEY WERE RETURNED IN
ERROR FOLLOWING A COURT CASE IN WHICH THE HOLDERS WERE CONVICTED OF FRAUDULENTLY ALTERING THEIR PASSPORTS. WE SUGGEST
THAT NOTHING FURTHER BE SAID ALTHOUGH WE WOULD ACCEPT BACK
THE PASSPORTS, OR REISSUED ONES, IF THE CHINESE INSIST, DESPITE THE FACT THAT THOSE CONCERNED CLEARLY INTEND TO REMAIN IN
HONG KONG. LETTER FOLLOWS ON HOW TO LONG STOP SUCH MISTAKES
IN FUTURE.
CATER
LIMITED
HKXGD
MUD
FED
PS/MR RIDLEY PSIMRLUCE PSIPUS
SIR.A. ACLAND MR DONALD
MREVANS
THIS TELEGRAM
WAS NOT ADVANCED
Bi
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CONFIDENTIAL