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F.215/98/10
OUT FILE
DEPARTMENTAL No. 2.
Cypher telegram to Sir A. Clark Kerr, (Chungking)
Foreign Office, 30th January 1941.
11.55 a.m.
No. 48
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Your telegram No, 8 [of 6th January: Hong Kong Immigration Ordinance].
You should inform Chinese Government that His Majesty's Government have carefully considered their representations but regret that in the interests of the defence of Hong Kong it has not been found possible to postpone further the enforcement of the measure (which was published on 9th November and passed the Legislative Council on 29th November) and that it came into force on 15th January. Instructions, however, have been given that the regulations will be administered as sympathetically as possible.
2. Hong Kong telegrams Nos. 3 to you [of 9th January] and 43 to Colonial Office of 17th January] will give you material to answer in detail the points raised by the Minister for Foreign Affairs. As regards point (2), you should point out that Chinese passports must now be visa'd to be valid for Hong Kong and you are authorised to suggest the cancellation of the 1934 arrangement exempting from Chinese visas British subjects whose passports state that they were born or are resident in Hong Kong.
3. A similar reply is being returned to the Chinese Ambassador. who on 6th January presented a memorandum drawing particular attention to the hardship involved by the application to Chinese of the requirement for permits of entry or passports and its effect on Chinese proceeding to Hong Kong on official or urgent business, and urging postponement.
Repeated to Hong Kong No: 79 and Shanghai No..100
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