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WANG ASKED US TO PASS THIS PROPOSAL TO THE HONG KONG AUTHORITIES.
3.
WE THANKED WANG FOR THIS MESSAGE AND UNDERTOOK TO TRANSMIT IT AT ONCE. WE SAID WE WELCOMED DIRECT CONTACT AND ASKED WHETHER WANG MEANT THAT A DELEGATION PLANNED TO VISIT HONG KONG. IF SO THE SOONER THEY GAVE US DETAILS FOR VISAS THE BETTER. WANG REPLIED THAT HE WAS NOT SURE WHAT WAS INTENDED AS HE WAS NOT VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE ISSUE (SIC), BUT IT DID NOT NECESSARILY MEAN A VISIT: HE THOUGHT THAT THERE HAD BEEN DIRECT CONTACTS ON SUCH MATTERS IN THE PAST. WE SAID THAT WE WERE SURE THAT THERE WOULD BE NO DIFFICULTY: THE MAIN THING WAS TO GET THINGS MOVING QUICKLY.
4.
IN THIS CONNECTION WE ASKED WHETHER THE REFERENCE TO PREVIOUS PRACTICE MEANT THAT THE CHINESE AGAIN ENVISAGED SPENDING MONTHS CHECKING THE LIFE-HISTORY OF EACH IMMIGRANT BEFORE REPATRIATING THEM: IF THAT WAS THE CASE, WANG'S MESSAGE WOULD CAUSE US GREAT DISAPPOINTMENT. WANG QUICKLY DENIED THAT THIS WAS THE MEANING: IN SOME CASES THE FACTS COULD BE CONFIRMED VERY QUICKLY HONG KONG HAD ALREADY PASSED SOME LISTS, AND INVESTIGATIONS WERE UNDER WAY HENCE THE REFERENCE TO EARLY REPATRIATION ARRANGEMENTS.
COMMENT
5. THIS DILATORY AND INSUBSTANTIAL CHINESE RESPONSE TO OUR URGENT REPRESENTATIONS, MADE IN LONDON, HONG KONG AND HERE, IS NOT VERY SATISFACTORY. BUT IT MAY/MAY BE THE HARBINGER OF EFFECTIVE CHINESE
CO-OPERATION WITH HKG ON THIS PROBLEM. NCNA HONG KONG SHOULD BE
ABLE TO CAST MORE LIGHT.
6.
THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME FOR A LONG TIME THAT THE HKMAO HAS SUMMONED US OTHER THAN TO DELIVER A COMPLAINT ABOUT SOME ASPECT OF THE ADMINISTRATION OF HONG KONG. (WE HAD RATHER EXPECTED TO BE BERATED ABOUT CIVIL SERVICE LOCALISATION.)
MCLEAN
YYYY
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