CO129-590-3 Entry of Chinese into Hong Kong 9-1-1941 - 7-11-1941 — Page 3

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I attach(fio. 7) a telegram just received from

Hong Kong. The difficulty of visas for Chinese visiting Hong Kong was stated in the Chungking telegram, No. 52 on the -/40 file. The Governor of Hong Kong in No. 1 in this file expressed no objection to the cancellation of the arrangement for British subjects to be exempted from obtaining visas to enter Chinese territory, but preferred, under a misapprehension that H.M. Ambassador in China had suggested it, a mutual waiving of visa requirements for holders of Chinese and British passports. On the Aribassador pointing out that he had not suggested this, the Acting Governor, in No. 7, agrees that he was under a misapprehension and accepts the Ambassador's suggestion that it may be necessary now to impose a visa requirement on Chinese passports. There will be visa difficulties for both Chinese and British since, in present circumstances, in China it will be even more difficult in some areas for Chinese to obtain British visas before starting on their journey to Hong Kong. Also it will be difficult for British residents in Hong Kong to obtain a Chinese visa sinc e there is no Chinese Consul in the Colony.

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Sir John Brennan that when the Chinese Ambassador saw Mr. Butler (see No. 6) he also mentioned to him the possibility of reviving the proposal for the appointment of a Chinese consular representative at Hong Kong. The F.O. will report that to us officially in due course. inclined to think that we should telegraph to Hong Kong the substance of the points in para. 3 of No. 6. and ask for categorical replies for communication to the Chinese Ambassador. We should also ask how it is proposed that British residents in Hong Kong should obtain visas for China and whether the Hong Kong Govt. would, if necessary, see any strong objection to the posting of a Chinese consular representative in Hong Kong for this purpose principally, who should not perhaps have the title of Consul but should nevertheless be officially recognised by the Colonial Govt. as an accredited agent of the Chungking authority.

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