AKK 345/1
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY NO. 51 13 MAR 1980
DERESTRICTED
L&R home J 12.3
10713
Eter
1.
2
꺽.
REGISTRY
INDEX
ΡΑ
Action Taken
3.
Mr Harrison
Лю
Migration & Visa Department
J13.3
(108)
17/04/3
karahisa
Mr. Harrison
Invol.
6/3
16
(10)
See 17
VISAS FOR HONG KONG FOR CHINESE PROVINCIAL OFFICIALS
1. When I visited Hong Kong recently, the Director of (Immigration, Mr Bridges, raised with me Peking telegram to Hong Kong No 10 suggesting that the Hong Kong Immigration authorities should in future take on directly the issuing of visas to officials from Guangdong and Fujian Provinces visiting Hong Kong on business. At present the visas are obtained through the Visa Section in the Embassy in Peking. The MFA have asked the Embassy if other arrangements could be made because of the delays in sending passports to and from the capital. Peking would welcome this because it would take some of the strain off their Visa Section. However, Hong Kong Immigration authorities feel that an important point of principle is involved. At present they undertake, for nothing, a considerable amount of visa-issuing work on behalf of the UK Government, principally for visitors from Taiwan. This has been on the understanding that British Embassies in the area will, as part of their normal function in representing Hong Kong overseas interests, issue visas for people wishing to visit Hong Kong. Hong Kong would be unhappy if this principle were broken; it could have implications, for instance, for similar work done by the Embassy in Manila. For this reason, rather than because of the likely cost of dealing with the Chinese officials involved in this case, they would prefer the present arrangements to remain.
2.
I would be grateful to know what you think. I realise that there are practical reasons in favour of Peking's suggestion but I very much hope that Hong Kong can be reassured that there is no intention of using them in order to make economies in British Visa Sections in the region. They are already pretty hard-pressed themselves.
6 March 1980
Blip
R D Clift
Hong Kong and General Department
cc Mr Williamson
Mr. Williams
2 minutes. Pl. consider. X
RESTRICTED
x may
be recornable but I Minh HR require
mình
require reassonne
herkaps
Mr. Bridge
illa
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