CONFIDENTIAL
IS IS A COPY THE UNIONAL HAS BEEN CLUDED UNTIL
UNDER FOI D.............. MON NO.40.
8. WE HOPE THAT LIU'S COMMENTS AND DEMANDS (REFTEL PARA 3) WERE BASED ON UNFAMILIARITY WITH THE SCALE AND NATURE OF THE PROBLEM, COMPOUNDED BY THE MISLEADING ACCOUNTS GIVEN BY THOSE WHO HAVE COMPLAINED AT BEING DETAINED HERE. WE DO NOT DETAIN TRAVELLERS WHOM WE BELIEVE GENUINELY INTEND TO COMPLETE THEIR JOURNEY.
DETENTION PUTS AN IMMENSE STRAIN ON OUR RESOURCES AND THE
FIGURES SHOW THAT WE ERR ON THE SIDE OF GENEROSITY. NOR IS ANY
DISCRIMINATION INVOLVED. SIMILAR MEASURES ARE TAKEN IN THE SAME CIRCUMSTANCES WITH TRAVELLERS ON ALL OTHER PASSPORTS, WHETHER OR NOT THEY HAVE VISAS FOR HONG KONG. DETENTION ON THE PRESENT
SCALE HAS ONLY BECOME NECESSARY BECAUSE THE CHINESE HAVE CHANGED
THE SYSTEM WHICH EXISTED UP TO 22 MARCH FOR RETURN OF THOSE
UNWILLING TO CONTINUE THEIR JOURNEY. WE HOPE THEY CAN AGREE TO RETURN TO THIS SYSTEM. WE ARE CONVINCED THAT THIS WOULD RESULT
IN A DRAMATIC REDUCTION IN THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE DETAINED.
9. THE PROBLEM OF PRC PRC PASSPORT HOLDERS GENUINELY RESIDENT OVERSEAS (REFTEL PARA 6) IS LESS DIFFICULT, PROVIDED THEY HAVE ADEQUATE RETURNABILITY TO THE COUNTRY IN WHICH THEY ARE LIVING.
IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT ARE PREPARED TO GIVE AUTHORITY TO U.K. CONSULAR POSTS (INCLUDING PEKING) TO ISSUE DOUBLE-JOURNEY TRANSIT
VISAS TO SUCH PEOPLE WHEN TRAVELLING IN CHINA TRAVEL SERVICE ORGANIZED GROUPS. WE ARE PREPARED TO DO THIS ON AN EXPERIMENTAL
BASIS BUT WOULD HAVE TO RECONSIDER IF THERE WAS EVIDENCE OF THE FACILITY BEING ABUSED. (IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT ARE SENDING INSTRUCTIONS SEPARATELY TO POSTS CONCERNED).
10. IF YOU AGREE, WE SHOULD BE GRATEFUL IF PEKING WOULD DRAW ON
PARAS 2 TO 9 ABOVE IN REPLYING TO THE MFA. WE WOULD THEN TAKE
3 CONFIDENTIAL
TIAL
/ SIMILAR
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