MALS.
DIPLOMATIC DISTRIBUTION
FROM TAMSUI TO FOREIGN OFFICE
허
D. 7.37 a.m. 3rd January, 1950
R. 8.34 a.m. 3rd January, 1950
His Majesty's Consul No. 1
2nd January, 1950 muary
Repeated to: Hong Kong as a 0. No 12.
INMEDIATE
CONFIDENTIAL
Addressed to Foreim Office telegram No. 1 of 2nd January, repeated for information to Hong Kong.
My telegram No. 262 (not repeated to Hong Kong).
Entry of Chinese from Formosa.
I have now discussed this question with Hong Kong authorities. They still wish applications from all Chinese including Government officials to be referred to them but have allowed me some small discretion in exceptional cases of extreme importance and urgency. I am therefore adopting this procedure forthwith although I feel that the proposals mentioned in paragraph 3 of my telegram under reference would have achieved equally satisfactory results from Hong Kong's point of view with less danger of friction locally at this critical time.
2. After recognition Hong Kong authorities have decided to handle entry permits through the medium of shipping companies as is now done in the case of Tientsin since in their opinion Nationalist travel documents will no longer be acceptable to any British authority as valid. While this proposition would relieve me of the present onerous visa duties it has the following drawbacks.
(a) Issuing of visas will in Chinese eyes be the principal justification for retention of His Majesty's Consulate and if we cease to do so the local authorities may reasonably claim we are nothing more than a political reporting centre and accordingly close the Consulate. Analogy with Tientsin is hardly applicable since the Consulate at Tientsin was not recognised by the local authorities and therefore could not issue visas.
(b) Even if I can have no control at least I should have some knowledge of visas issued in my district particularly in the case of officials if I am to maintain relations with them.
[?grp.omitted] The latest regulations mean that virtually no more visas will be issued before
/recognition.
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