TNAG-0663-FCO40-812-Immigration-from-China-to-Hong-Kong-1977 — Page 61

CONFIDENTIAL

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(e) In paragraph 4 of his report, Mr Chui says that "generally the time taken for the processing of an application for a double journey permit ranges from one year to one and a half years before the applicant is notified of the final approval or refusal". In this Mr Chui's figures give a different impression from the ones received via the ŌIRS. In 1976 we have noted the following figures from this source: 65 of 160 people interviewed received CEPs within a year or after a year to a year and a half, 46 after two years, 40 after three years, 8 after four years and 1 after six years. In the case of passports, 16 of the 37 people interviewed received a passport after one to one and a half years, 16 after two years, 3 after three years and 2 after four years;

(f) The substance of paragraph 5 of Mr Chui's report should be read alongside with subparagraph 11 (c). Applicants do of course occasionally bríbe officials handling their applications, though perhaps not yet to a great extent. Sums of between 500 and 2,000 yuan have been mentioned in debriefing reports;

(8) As a gloss on Mr Chui's comment at paragraph 11 (a) that the State Council's policy of 1972 was criticised by the "Gang of Four",

travellers leaving China in December 1976 were told that the delay of years in issuing exit permits in one Kwantung County could be blamed on followers of the "Gang" who had "failed to implement Mao's policy of showing consideration to overseas Chinese".

2.

The Research Departments have gone to town on this report, which interested them considerably. I too was interested and we are collectively most grateful.

cc:

NM Fenn Esq (Peking)

Nr Orr

(FLD)

Mr Bristow

(Consular Dept)

Mr Berry

(MVD)

Miss Bishop

Research Dept)

Ms Pares

(IRD)

CONFIDENTIAL

T J David

Hong Kong & General Department

J