being to ensure that our contacts with the Formosan authorities are kept
to the bare minimum as is consistent with the fact that we do not
recognise the Nationalist régime, (Our policy is set out in more detail
in your letter of 3 February to Mr. Bray in Tamsui).
it.
a previous occasion when there was a possibility that a party of
Formosan officials from the Chinese Petroleum Corporation might visit
the United Kingdom in 1961 the Chinese Mission here protested
vociferously and we subsequently refused the visas for the Formosans If
visas had been granted on the occasion we are now considering we might
have been faced with a similar situation.
5. Nevertheless in view of the fact that five of the seven officials
concerned worked for the Provincial authorities (to whom H.M. Consul in
Tansui is accredited we took the precaution of first asking our
Consulate whether a refusal to grant visas in this case would cause then
serious embarrassment. They replied that serious embarrassment was
unlikely.
6.
We then advised the Home Office to refuse the visas. They subsequently
informed us that the Home Secretary had agreed to this on the
understanding that the Foreign Office would say that this decision had
been taken on their advice if it were ever publicly queried.
7.
I submit a draft reply. I believe that Mr. Marsh maintains close
connexions with the Free China Inform- ation Centre. I have therefore
drafted the reply in fairly guarded terms. Mr. Marsh (and the
Nationalists) know only too well that we have no intention of giving the
Chinese-Hisalon aneh obvious pretexts for protest- ing and that we do
not intend to place our trade with China at risk (our exports came to
£32 million in 1966) for the sake of allowing into the U.K., groups of
officials of a régime not recognised by H.H.G. is no need in my view to
spell this out.
goflou
(D. J. MOSS)
15 February, 1967
/mmé
There
In this case,
พ.
were on very from
длоний
in advising mat visas be refusw.
The P party were, in any case,
Concums intin
Ko An
sun, but with
industani esrare development. They were on a tour including other
comntnin leg. Amunas win recogume the Natiments
and
wows presumably trent them an
an Brie delegatim. We shomes this fur
how ben v. Valatable to
entrism
for lety has
hai um let
un let them in.
Av. de la Jam
-----
agree.
Jom Disn
There could also
ро
15/
have been P.Q.s from pro- Peking Afl.s. We shall harus contund in
fulm t
to convido
sympathetically applications
from Promosans drictly linked with trade.
Letter to mue.
тие
Lound 16
2
Ed (1626)
NOTHING TO BE WRITTEN IN THIS MARGIN.
W2
ฟ2 (
Minutes.
9
FE Bell
про
I mentioned to someone in Deft some time aft That I'm CB.I. would raise
this case with des Have we bear able to find out anything atul it?
Please resutant with draft reply
lim
10/2
Now
204
separate
DOM 15/0
J.
2 million mi
1966
ph
2
Confederation of British Industry
RECEIVED IN ARCHIVES No.31
21 FEB 1967
FCN 22/1
21 Tothill Street London SW1
Telephone Whitehall 6711 STD Code 01
Telex 21332
Telegrams
Cobustry London SW1
For 4
8th February 1967.
A.J. De La Mare, Esq. OMG.
Foreign Office, Downing Street, LONDON
-
S.T.1.
Dear Wehe Mave.
I have taken a little time to bring up this matter of the refusal of
granting visas to a mission from Taiwan, but 24 the event is past
history there is no element of great urgency, yet I am anxious to see
whether it is possible to prevent a recur-
rence.
The facts, as put to me by Charles Wang of the Free Chinese Centre, are
briefly as follows. During September last the Industrial Development and
Investment Centre of Taipei (and Rotterdam) - a non-governmental and
non-profit making organiz- ation whose aim is held to be to advance and
strengthen Taiwan's contacts with West European countries in the field
of industrial and scientific relations applied through the Tamaui
Consulate for visas for a team to come to this country in the course of
their study of industrial estate development. The request was refused,
and it appears this decision was passed on to the leader LING-SHIH IU on
November 17th, whilst on his way across America, by our Embassy in
Washington on instructions received from London.
If it is possible for you to identify this incident from this somewhat
scanty information, I should be grateful if you would see whether there
were substantial grands for this refusal. Over the last year or two,
there has been a very welcome advance in our exports to Taiwan, and it
would be a great pity if additional dif- ficulties over the issue of
visas for purely industrial matters were put in the way.
I am sending a copy of this letter to Michael Montague.
Yours sincerely,
-
Michael Montague, Esq.
R. E. Harsh. Asia Department
Director-General John Davies
Secretary J. Gough
STIERNTIAL
+
312
FOREIGN OFFICE, 8.4.1.
3 February, 196
xhen you called recently, you saled for some back- ground on the
criteria which we adapt in deciding whether er not to advise the Name
Office to insme visas for Yer officiala.
and
that bare
There are no fixed criteria má individual sssssare sided ad hoc, The sin
of our serutiny is to nen ommtarts with Nationalist offisiala are lapt
siniam as is consistent with the fact that do not Posogaiss the
Eationalists. He certainly have an objection to individual Fationalist
officials coming here as tourists or as delegates te conferences of
international organisations held in the 9.5, (though this semetimes
creates difficulties when official hospitality involving the attendance
of British Finisters is concerned), to do, however, draw the lime when
individual Nationalist officials or conolines even parties af officials
syply for visas to visit the United Kingdon what is clearly official
business. This applice particula
Chinese People
to officials of the Central Government. Gevernsent are never slow to
complain about allegat sif. Chimw' astivities and we wish to avoid
giving them this text to do so shenever possible.
pre-
3. None of the above of course applies in the case of Forgosan bosinone
non or ordinary eltisona. Although wo A would perhaps have doubts about
a larg; trade dalagation
nd coming to the United Kingdon we certainly de
the way of individual busin
wish to put obstacles tourists from Formosa,
I am sending a copy of to the Political Adviser in Central Department
fiome Ofties.
this letter to whitney in Poking Hong Kong, to Hallett in Fassport
Immigration Department of the
R. J. Brey Esq",
TAMBUT.
(J. B.
ka
Colizz 1 GILMORE WASCHAL COM
1914 Hes.
NOTHING TO BE WRITTEN IN THIS MARGIN
Registry No.
Top Secret.
Secret.
Confidential DJM
DRAFT Letter
To:-
R.J. Mr. Á Bray
Tenaul
CONFIDENT JAL
Restricted.
Unclassified
31/1
Type 1 +
From
Vr. Kosei Venson
Denson
Telephone No. & Ext
Department
Vr. Denon and
Vr Vallett (PCD) FIRST
ali
Copy to:-
R. #. Whitney, Esq Peking
Political
Adviser, Hong Konk
J. H. Willett, M.M❘ Passport Control
Department
Immigration Dept., Home Office.
as is consistu with the four
thair we do not
негодний ета
Nationalsts.
(Mongh this
Sometiina creatio Diffimettin when official hospitadatal invering the
attend muna n
Brinin Minotus is uncond,
unconds.)
Mr. Thiss ि
Dom 1/2
British Visas for Formosan Officials
When you called on John DenGo
recently,
you asked for some background on the criteria
or not which we adopt in deciding whether to advise the
Home Office
officials.
to 188ue visas for Formosan
no fixed kritina and
There are no fixno
бе
2. You will appreciate that/
individual, cases are decided ad hae necessarily use rule of thumb oye
aim of our scrutiny 18 to ensure that our
The
contacts with Nationalist/officials are kept to
a bare minimum we certainly have no
objection to individual Nationalist officials
coming here as tourists or b
Confululus ?
as
delegatea to international organisations
hepe for confazances)
kekal
K
we do, however, draw
117€ when individual Nationalist officials
or/eyen parties of officials apply for visas
visit the United Kingdon on what is clearly Dag apples partidariske la
Frum you like Godd
рат official business. The Chinese People's
Government are never slow to complain about
'Two China' activiting wish to avera allegedanken in, and we
them this pretext
3. None of the above of course applies in the
case of Forndsen businessmen or ordinary
ретворит citizens. 41though we would pe ps have come doubts about a
large offfetal trade delegation
from Formosa coming to the United Kingdom we
tput
to
certainly do not put obstacles in the way of
individual businessmen and tourists from
Formosa.
/4.
CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
4.
I am sending a copy of this letter to
Whitney in Peking, to the Political Adviser in
Hong Kong, to Mallett in Passport Control
Department, and to the Immigration Department
of the Home office.
し
CONFIDENTIAL
NOTHING TO BE WRITTEN IN THIS MARGIN