TNAG-0988-FCO40-1207-Policy-on-visas-and-entry-certificates-in-Hong-Kong-1980 — Page 35

GR S 950

CONFIDENTIAL

DESKBY FCO 270800Z

DESKBY HONG KONG 27020AZ

FM PEKING 261111Z SEP 80

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

CONFIDENTIAL

TELEGRAM NUMBER 626 OF 26 SEPTEMBER INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG (GOVERNOR)

HONG KONG TRANSIT VISAS

TOP CORY

see

18

HICIC 345

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY NO. 51 29 SEP 1980

DESK OFFICER

INDEX

мо

REGISTRY

PA

Action Taken

82.4

1. FIRST SECRETARY WAS SUMMONED ON 26 SEPTEMBER BY LIU YONGPING,

DEPUTY DIRECTOR, CONSULAR DEPARTMENT MFA, TO DISCUSS PROBLEMS AFFECTING PRIVATE PRC PASSPORT HOLDERS ATTEMPTING TO TRANSIT

HONG KONG AT LOWU AND KAITAK AIRPORT.

2. LIU OPENED BY SAYING THAT UP UNTIL THE LAST FEW MONTHS THE

SYSTEM WORKED WELL BUT THERE HAD RECENTLY BEEN A MARKED INCREASE

IN THE NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS FROM PRC PASSPORT HOLDERS CONCERNING

THEIR TREATMENT BY HONG KONG IMMIGRATION OFFICIALS AT LOWU

AND KAITAK AIRPORT. HE CITED THE FOLLOWING EXAMPLES:

(1) PRC PASSPORT HOLDERS WITH VISAS FOR THIRD COUNTRIES, ONWARD

TICKETS AND ADEQUATE PROOF OF FINANCIAL SUPPORT WERE BEING

DENIED TRANSIT FACILITIES AT LOWU AND TOLD TO REFER TO THE

BRITISH EMBASSY IN PEKING

(11) SOME PRC PASSPORT HOLDERS ALLOWED TO ENTER HONG KONG FOR TRANSIT BUT ONLY UNDER ESCORT FROM LOWU TO KAITAK AIRPORT WHERE

THEY WERE PUT ON THE FIRST AVAILABLE FLIGHT OUT OF HONG KONG. (111) PRC PASSPORT HOLDERS DETAINED BY HONG KONG IMMIGRATION FOR BETWEEN 12 AND 18 DAYS. PASSPORT, LUGGAGE ETC IMPOUNDED.

WHEN BEING TAKEN FOR MEALS THEY WERE HANDCUFFED AND GENERALLY TREATED AS CRIMINALS. LIU QUOTED THE EXAMPLES OF ZHONG JIANGHUA (REFUSAL NOTICE B3/DOB/744-5/80 DATED 15 JUNE) AND CHEN JIANZHONG (REFERENCE B8/DOB/759/80 DATED 18 JUNE). (IV) PRC CITIZENS RESIDENT ABROAD TRAVELLING BACK TO CHINA VIA HONG KONG WITH VALID TRANSIT VISAS ISSUED BY BRITISH CONSULATES WERE BEING DETAINED AT KAITAK AIRPORT AND ESCORTED TO LOWU THEREBY INCURRING HOTEL CANCELLATION FEES ETC. LIU QUOTED THE CASE OF LI XINGHUA, CHINESE CITIZEN RESIDENT IN LOS ANGELES WHO ARRIVED IN HONG KONG ON 23 JUNE WITH A TRANSIT VISA ISSUED BY THE BRITISH CONSULATE GENERAL IN LOS ANGELES. HE WAS REFUSED

TRANSIT FACILITIES, DETAINED OVERNIGHT AND ESCORTED TO LOWU THE FOLLOWING DAY, REFUSAL NOTICE REFERENCE NO AS/DOB/23327/80. OWEN WAS HANDED A LETTER FROM LI XING HUA ADDRESSED TO THE

AMBASSADOR ASKING FOR AN EXPLANATION, REIMBURSEMENT OF HOTEL

EXPENSES IN HONG KONG AND AN OFFICIAL APOLOGY.

CONFIDENTIAL

13. LIU

76