CO129-604-6 Immigration- control over entry from China 1-1-1947 - 4-1-1950 — Page 54

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Cypher/OTP

PASSPORT CONTROL DEPARTMENT

DISTRIBUTION

FROM TAMSUI TO FOREIGN OFFICE

His Majesty's Consul

No. 262

D. 10.10 a.m. 28th December, 1949

28th December, 1949

1949 R. 10.27 a.m. 28th December, 1949

INMEDIATE

CONFIDENTIAL

My telegram No. 116 to Hong Kong.

(69)

You will see from Hong Kong telegram No.

467 to me repeated to Secretary of State for the

Colonies that Hong Kong Government have now instructed Shephard to grant no visas to Chinese without

reference.

2. I do not think that the Hong Kong

authorities fully appreciate the political and

commercial issues involved, quite apart from the danger of violent demonstrations.

I am therefore

flying to Hong Kong December 29th (repeat December 29th) for personal discussions.

3. My views briefly are:

(68) (a) Officials. As stated in my telegram No. 257.

(b) Business mcn. To be granted visa for one month if they can produce adequate references and re-entry permit to Formosa issued by the local authorities.

(c) Ordinary public. No (repeat no) visa unless they can produce Hong Kong residence certificates or hold visas for other countries and have proof that provisional [gp undec ? passages] have been booked.

There would of course be a number of special cases requiring reference to Hong Kong but these must be kept to a minimum unless a large staff here is provided by the Hong Kong Government.

4. I will telegraph from Hong Kong the results of our discussions.

5. I regret that time did not permit of my obtaining prior sanction for the journey.

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