15 September 1993
Mr Norman Willis General Secretary
Trades Union Congress Congress House
Great Russell Street London
WC1B 3LS
Foreign & Commonwealth
Office
(29
243/1
93
London SWIA 2AH
STRY From The Minister of State Taken
ре
Jew Norman
Thank you for your letter of 2 September to the Foreign Secretary about Mr Han Dongfang. I am replying in Douglas Hurd's absence abroad. I share your concerns about the treatment of Mr Han and about the revocation of his passport, which has effectively made him stateless.
The Hong Kong Government allowed Mr Han into Hong Kong on humanitarian grounds when he was expelled from China on 14 August, and have granted him temporary permission to stay. Since then we have raised his case with the Chinese authorities in Hong Kong and Peking. I also raised the case myself with the Chinese Ambassador here on 23 August. We have emphasised that the treatment of Mr Han has caused much disquiet in Hong Kong, including among those who normally support China.
We have urged the Chinese Government to reconsider their approach, and hope that Mr Han will be allowed to return to his home country as soon as possible.
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Anto
حتلا
ALASTAIR GOODLAD
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