PRC CITIZENS COULD NOW ENTER HONG KONG AT KAI TAK, WE WOULD BE INUNDATED WITH APPLICATIONS AND ENQUIRIES. EVEN IF WE RESTRICTED
APPLICATIONS TO PEOPLE TRAVELLING ON THE DIRECT FLIGHTS ONLY (WHICH WOULD BE DIFFICULT TO ADMINISTER) WITH THREE FLIGHTS A WEEK THIS COULD MEAN POTENTIAL APPLICATIONS TOTALLING APPROXIMATELY 540 A WEEK. BUT, EVEN IF THIS WAS AS LOW AS 75 THIS WOULD MEAN CONSIDERABLE EXTRA WORK INVOLVED IN CARRYING
OUT THE IN DEPTH INTERVIEWS WITH APPLICANTS FOR WHICH WE HAVE
NO TRAINED PERSONNEL, THIS COULD ONLY BE MET BY
THE ATTACHMENT OF HONG KONG IMMIGRATION OFFICERS TO OUR VISA SECTION. THIS WOULD BE DIFFICULT AT PRESENT BECAUSE OF
CONSTRAINTS IN OFFICE AND RESIDENTIAL ACCOMMODATION.
5. THE ISSUE OF VISAS HERE COULD ALSO BE A PROTRACTED PROCESS
AS THE NECESSARY CHECKS WITH RELATIVES/SPONSORS IN HONG KONG
COULD ONLY BE CARRIED OUT BY CORRESPONDENCE. AT LO WU THESE
CHECKS ARE MADE BY TELEPHONE. WE WOULD THEREFORE POINT OUT
TO THE CHINESE THAT THEIR PROPOSAL WOULD WORK TO THE DISADVANTAGE
OF THE APPLICANTS IN THAT IN SOME CASES IT COULD TAKE AT
LEAST SIX WEEKS TO PROCESS APPLICATIONS.
6. THE PRESENT SYSTEM OF ENTRY HAS THE ADVANTAGE IN THAT
ON ARRIVAL AT LO WU THE APPLICANT DOES NOT HAVE A VISA STAMPED
IN HIS PASSPORT MAKING HIS RETURN TO CHINA IF HE IS REFUSED
ENTRY EASIER. IF WE WERE TO PROCESS APPLICANTS HERE THE APPLICANT WOULD ARRIVE AT KAI TAK WITH A VISA WHICH, IF THE IMMIGRATION CLEARANCE OFFICER (ICO) WAS NOT SATISFIED OF HIS INTENTIONS, HE COULD REFUSE TO ACCEPT AND DENY HIM ADMISSION. HE MIGHT THEN BE PLACED IN DETENTION. THE FACT
THAT HE HAD A VISA AND WAS REFUSED ADMISSION COULD RESULT IN
PROBLEMS WITH THE CHINESE WHO WOULD UNDOUBTEDLY LAY CHARGES
OF DISCRIMINATION AND COULD BE A CONTINUOUS SOURCE OF FRICTION
IN OUR RELATIONS.
7. ON THE BASIS OF THESE INTRINSIC AND
LOGISTICAL DIFFICULTIES WE FEEL THAT THERE IS NO
ALTERNATIVE TO OUR MAINTAINING THE STATUS QUO BUT WOULD BE
GRATEFUL FOR YOU COMMENTS AND THOSE OF MVD.
CRADOCK
LIMITED
NRGD (4)
MVD
PED
SIRE YOUDE MR ADAMS MR DONALD
THIS TELEGRAM WAS NOT ADVANCED
2
CONFIDENTAL