TNAG-0743-FCO40-947-Relations-between-China-and-Hong-Kong-1978 — Page 96

CONFIDENTIAL #2

11

C.

Impressions of visitors as reflected in the

travellers' tales

(a); Hong Kong residents who visited China

some years ago consider that life in China has relatively improved in quality, although the standard of living is still very low, and services and facilities

are still very inadequate.

(b)

(c)

(a)

Another development is that Hong Kong and Macau compatriots are now given better treatment - they used to bc

subject to unfavourable discrimination compared with foreign visitors before the fall of the Gang of. Four. Currently they are accorded better "status" and

given more satisfactory services. Businessmen attending the Canton Fair or negotiating deals with the Chinese authorities were very well looked after. Staff assigned to take care of them seemed to have been very well briefed about the background and personal particulars of their guests.

Visitors travelling in organized groups

were given better treatment than indivi- duals travelling on their own, even

though the individuals were from the

same social class as those in the

group.

(e) Professional groups, c.g. doctors,

engineers, etc. were accorded higher

status than labourers and factory workers. (f) Although the Chinese immigration and customs authorities, having listened

to visitors' complaints about cumbersome

CONFIDENTIAL #

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