TNAG-1019-FCO40-1269-Relations-between-Hong-Kong-and-China-1981 — Page 49

2. SONG SAID THAT THE REFUGEE PRODLEM WAS UNDER STUDY. HE DIO

NOT RESPOND TO MY MENTION OF A POSSIBLE 'EETING BETWEEN

QUANGDONG AND HONG KONG. I URGED THE NEED FOR SPEEDING UP THE

REPATRIATION PROCESS.

3. ON POINT C OF HONG KONG TUR, I TOOK THE OPPORTUNITY TO ASK

THAT TRAVEL PERMITS BE ISSUED ONLY FOR THREE ONTHS AS A GENERAL

RULE AND POINTED OUT THAT THE GUANGZHOU AUTHORITIES ALONE

SEEMED TO BE DOING THIS.

4. SONG SAID THAT HONG KONG COULD SEND BACK CHINESE VISITORS''

VHO REFUSED TO RETURN TO CHINA OF THEIR OWN ACCORD. THE CHINESE

VERE LOOKING INTO THE MATTER OF ISSUING PERMITS WITH A SHORTER

VALIDITY. TO MY POINT THAT IT WAS JUST A MATTER OF EXTENDING THE

EXISTING PRACTICE OF THE GUANGZHOU AUTHORITIES, HE SAID THAT SOME LOCAL DEPARTMENTS OF PUBLIC SECURITY FOUND IT MORE CONVENIENT TO ISSUE PERMITS OF LONG DURATION..

COMMENT

5. WE SHALL NO DOUBT HAVE TO MAKE FURTHER REPRESENTATIONS IN FUTURE ON OVERSTAYERS. SONG'S STATEMENT IN SENTENCE 1 OF PARA 4 ABOVE MIGHT BE A USEFUL PEA ON WHICH TO HANG A FUTURE

APPROACH.

CRADOCK