GR 750
CONFIDENTIAL
FM PEKING 290350Z
TO PRIORITY F C O
CONFIDENTIAL
TELNO 390 OF 29 MAY 1981
AND PRIORITY INFO HONG KONG.
19
FCO TELNO 275: HONG KONG TRANSIT VISAS
D
TOP COPY
RELLIVED IN ESTRY NO. 51
1 - JUN 1981
DESK OFFICER
INDEX
مد
PA
815.6
REGISTRY
Action Taken
flm 2216
1. AS INSTRUCTED, FIRST SECRETARY CALLED ON LIU QING YOU, DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF CONSULAR DEPARTMENT, ON 28 MAY AND RESPONDED TO HUANG HUA'S COMPLAINTS (MY TELNO 25 TO HONG KONG) IN ACCORDANCE WITH PARAGRAPH 2 OF MY TELNO 353.
(17)
2. LIU MADE THE FOLLOWING POINTS:
(A) MALTREATMENT
ON THE QUESTION OF DETENTION HE SAID THAT BECAUSE OF 'INHUMANE TREATMENT' IN HONG KONG DETENTION CENTRES CHINESE AUTHORITIES WOULD PREFER THEIR CITIZENS TO BE RETURNED TO CHINA AND NOT HAVE TO SUFFER DETENTION EVEN FOR SHORT PERIODS. OWEN TOOK A FIRM LINE AND REMINDED LIU THAT ALL THE CASES OF ALLEGED ''INHUMANE TREAT-
MENT** BROUGHT TO OUR ATTENTION HAD BEEN INVESTIGATED. THEY WERE
FOUND TO HAVE NO SUBSTANCE IN FACT AND THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES WERE
SO INFORMED. IF THERE WERE NEW CASES WE WERE PREPARED TO EXAMINE
THESE BUT IN ORDER TO DO SO WE REQUIRED FULL DETAILS OF EACH CASE.
LIU DID NOT RESPOND.
(B) TRANSIT VISAS
LIU SAID THAT THEY HAD STUDIED THE HONG KONG ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
FOR OTHER NATIONALITIES AND HAD CONCLUDED THAT A 7 DAY STAY AND AN
EXTENSION TO ONE MONTH WAS ONLY BRINGING PROVATE PRC CITIZENS INTO
LINE WITH CITIZENS OF OTHER COUNTRIES.
(C) PROCESSING OF VISAS
(1) ISSUING VISAS IN PEKING:
WHILST POCKETING THE KAI TAK CONCESSION LIU EXPRESSED DISAPPOINTMENT THAT WE HAD TURNED DOWN THEIR REQUEST TO ISSUE VISAS IN PEKING. OWEN REPEATED THE LINE I TOOK WITH HUANG HUA (PARAGRAPH 6 OF MY TELNO 25 TO HONG KONG). AND WENT ON TO OUTLINE THE ADVANTAGES
OF THE PRESENT SYSTEM WHEREBY PRIVATE PRC CITIZENS HOLDING
ADEQUATE DOCUMENTATION COULD NORMALLY RECEIVE VISAS ON DEMAND AT LO WU AND, IF THE CHINESE ACCEPT OUR CONDITIONS, WOULD SHORTLY BE ABLE TO DO SO AT KAI TAK AS WELL. PROCESSING IN PEKING COULD DELAY
APPLICATIONS FOR SOME MONTHS.
(11) USE OF CHINA TRAVEL SERVICE (CTS) =
LIU THEN SAID THAT WHILST OUR PROPOSAL HELPED TO SOLVE THE DIRECT
FLIGHT PROBLEM IT DID NOT HELP CHINESE CITIZENS AT LO WU, HE
EXPLAINED THAT DURING A RECENT VISIT TO THE BORDER HE HAD MET MANY CHINESE CITIZENS WHO HAD BEEN REFUSED TRANSIT THROUGH HONG
KONG. SOME OF THESE HAD TRAVELLED LONG DISTANCES AND IN SOME CASES
HAD RENTED THEIR HOMES. THE MFA ALSO RECEIVED MANY LETTERS FROM
CONFIDENTIAL
/ SUCH
21
Ste(22)
}
40
noted pay 2/6 I wk
$1.6