TNAG-0029-FCO40-65-Relations-with-China-1968 — Page 31

SECRET

9.

Restrictions on Officials (See also Annex C)

12. The present position is this:-

(a) The British Mission in Peking (20 men, 6 single

girls, 17 women and children) is subject to

normal travel restrictions inside China. Exit

visas era in general boing withheld, except for

several which have been granted on medical

Grounds. Entry visas are also being withheld.

(b) The Chinese officials in London (about 50 in

number) must seek the permission of the Foreign

Office before leaving the country.

If crit

permits were applied for, we would give them.

But the Chinese regard our requirement as

"illegal" and discriminatory and refuse to apply

for permission.

Thus there is a self-impoood

bar on their exit.

We are also refusing entry

visas for two Benk of China and three .C.N.A.

officials.

The Chinese will certainly not deal with exit vises for our

Mission on a normal basis until we have lifted our requirement

for exit permits. They have argued somewhat speciously that,

as we were the first to impose the restrictions on missions

(see paragraph 6 above), we must be the first to dismantle

them. I think that despite the lack of any assurance of

reciprocity, we should lift the requirement for exit visas

and grant entry vians to Chinese officials in the normal way.

/It

SECRET