GR 200
RESTRICTED
FI PEKING 100700Z FED 84
TO ROUTINE FCO
RESTRICTED
TELEGRAM NUMBER 218 OF 10 FEBRUARY
INFO ROUTINE HONG KONG
VISAS FOR HOLDERS OF PRC ORDINARY PASSPORTS
HKK 545/4
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY
5 MAR 1984
DESK OFFICHA
INDEX
HED
we tral
NJZ.
REGISTRY
Action Tsken.
13/22
pa
1. AT A MEETING ON 9 FEBRUARY ON TRANSIT ARRANGEMENTS FOR
PRC NATIONALS THROUGH HONG KONG SONG YOUMING GAVE HEAD OF
CHANCERY NOTICE THAT THE CONSULAR DEPARTMENT INTENDED SHORTLY
TO RAISE AGAIN WITH THE EMBASSY THE QUESTION OF THE EMBASSY'S
REFUSAL TO ISSUE HONG KONG VISAS ON ORDINARY CHINESE PASSPORTS. THE CHINESE SIDE FOUND THIS UNREASONABLE.
:
2. GALSWORTHY SAID THAT THE REASONS WERE ENTIRELY PRACTICAL. THE EMBASSY'S VISA SECTION HAD ISSUED 16,500 VISAS IN THE COURSE OF THE LAST YEAR. THEY COULD NOT COPE WITH AN INCREASED
WORKLOAD WITHOUT ADDITIONAL STAFF AND THERE WAS NO HOUSING IN
PEKING FOR SUCH STAFF. THE EXISTING VISA LOAD WAS GREATER THAN
THAT OF ANY OTHER EMBASSY IN PEKING, INCLUDING THE US EMBASSY WHO HAD FAR MORE STAFF TO DEAL WITH IT. IT WAS RELEVANT THAT SOME 5 MILLION PEOPLE HAD CROSSED THE HONG KONG BORDER OVER THE PAST YEAR.
3. SONC APPEARED A LITTLE TAKEN ABACK BY THESE STATISTICS.
NEVERTHELESS WE THINK IT LIKELY THAT THE CHINESE WILL REVERT TO THE HATTER DEFORE LONG.
EVAKS
MINIMAL
i
MVD FED
{
RESTRICTED
THIS TELEGRAM
WAS NOT
ADVANCED