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WEDNESDAY, JULY 14, 1993
FEW CHINESE TRANSITEES OVERSTAY IN HK
PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA (PRC) NATIONALS TRANSITTING HONG KONG HAVE CREATED FEW PROBLEMS IN RECENT YEARS WITH ONLY 0.02 PER CENT OVERSTAYED LAST YEAR, THE SECRETARY FOR SECURITY, MR ALISTAIR ASPREY, SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
THEY ARE NOW ALLOWED TO STAY IN THE TERRITORY IN TRANSIT FOR SEVEN DAYS WITHOUT VISAS.
"THIS PROMPTED THE CHANGE IN POLICY, WHICH WILL ALSO RESULT IN THE RELEASE OF STAFF FROM VISA-PROCESSING WORK TO MUCH-NEEDED COUNTER DUTIES AT LO WU," HE SAID.
"WE WILL MAINTAIN EFFECTIVE PRE-ENTRY AND POST-ENTRY CONTROLS TO PREVENT OVERSTAYING," MR ASPREY TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL IN A WRITTEN REPLY TO A QUESTION BY THE HON PANG CHUN-HOI.
PRC TRANSITEES ARE REQUIRED TO PROVE THAT THEY HAVE VALID PASSPORTS, VISAS AND ONWARD AIR TICKETS FOR THEIR DESTINATION COUNTRIES BEFORE THEY ARE ADMITTED INTO HONG KONG.
THE IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT'S COMPUTERISED RECORD EXPOSES ANY TRANSITEE WHO HAS OVERSTAYED.
PASSENGER MOVEMENT
MR ASPREY SAID OVERSTAYERS WERE LIABLE TO PROSECUTION AND REMOVAL FROM HONG KONG.
REGARDING TAIWANESE VISITORS IN TRANSIT, HE SAID THERE WAS NO PLAN TO WAIVE VISA REQUIREMENTS FOR THEM.
VISAS OR PERMITS ARE REQUIRED FROM ALL VISITORS FROM ADMINISTRATIONS NOT RECOGNISED BY THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT, INCLUDING
TAIWAN,
"HOWEVER, THE REQUIREMENTS FOR TAIWANESE VISITORS ARE NOT ONEROUS," HE SAID.
THEY CAN OBTAIN MULTIPLE VISIT PERMITS, AND DURING THE VALIDITY OF THEIR PERMITS, THEY CAN VISIT HONG KONG AS THEY WISH.
0
NEW TRAFFIC CONTROL STATION FOR MA WAN CHANNEL
*
A CONTROL STATION WILL BE BUILT IN MA WAN CHANNEL THE SEA TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT SYSTEM THERE.
TO
ENHANCE
ACCORDING TO THE SECRETARY FOR SECURITY, MR ALISTAIR ASPREY,
THE BUILDING IS DUE TO START LATER THIS YEAR.
MA WAN CHANNEL IS A MAJOR WATERWAY FOR OCEAN-GOING VESSELS PASSING THROUGH HONG KONG.
/IN A
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