TNAG-0854-FCO40-1064-The-Kowloon-Canton-Railway-1979 — Page 78

(Text, with minor amendments as agreed with NCNA on Saturday 6 January)

Through Train Service between

Guangzhou and Kowloon

At a meeting between Mr Li Chu-sheng, Second Director of NCHA, and the Political Adviser on 5 January, Mr Li said that the Chinese intention was to restrict use of a through train service to foreigners, those visiting the Guangzhou or other trade fairs, organised groups, and some others such as officials.

2.

During this preliminary discussion both sides agreed that, so far as the passengers travelling between Guangzhou and Kowloon were concerned, use of the through train would be limited to:

(1)

(ii)

(iii)

holders of People's Republic of China passports with visas for Hong Kong;

foreigners (i.e. holders of other passports) who either had visas for liong Kong or who were nationals of countries not requiring visas for Hong Kong (Hong Kong would provide a list of such countries);

and

holders of Hong Kong re-entry permits.

Those holding Chinese exit permits would continue to enter Hong Kong at Lowu as at present.

3.

It was agreed that immigration procedures and other examinations of passengers and baggage would be carried out by each side at their respective ends of the line. The Political Adviser said that Hong Kong would always be willing to co-operate in finding means to ensure a proper security check of baggage at Kowloon such as, for instance, existed in the case of the airport.

4.

The Political Adviser said that the Hong Kong side would wish, before a through train service started, to have an agreement that either side could refuse and return passengers who did not fall in the agreed

categories or who had to be refused for some other reason.

Political Adviser's Office. Government Secretariat,

Hong Kong,

6 January, 1979.

1