TNAG-1095-FCO40-1345-Visas-for-Chinese-nationals-visiting-Hong-Kong-1987 — Page 64

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GRS 300

CONFIDENTIAL

CONFIDENTIAL

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FM HONG KONG 160117Z AUGUST 81

TO PRIORITY F C O

TELEGRAM NUMBER 738 OF 16 AUGUST

HRR 345/4

INFO PRIORITY PEKING ROUTINE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE

LONDON

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ARRANGEMENTS, 25.8.

Basw18.

PEKING TELNO 529 (PARAS 1-5): TRANSIT ARRANGEMENTS.

1 AGREE THAT WE SHOULD NOW FORMALISE AN UNDERSTANDING ABOUT TRANSIT ARRANGEMENTS ON THE BASIS OF PROPOSALS IN OUR TELNO 497 AND LIU'S RESPONSE. WE ARE NOT CONCERNED ABOUT THE FORM WHICH COULD BE EITHER A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING OR RECORD OF AN ORAL UNDERSTANDING.

2. WE CAN AGREE TO LIU'S SUGGESTION THAT OVERSTAYERS WITH C P G PASSPORTS BUT RIGHT OF RESIDENCE ELSEWHERE SHOULD BE RETURNED TO THAT COUNTRY NOT CHINA, YOU SHOULD KNOW HOWEVER THAT CPG PASSPORTS ARE NOT VALID FOR RETURN TO CHINA UNLESS SPECIFICALLY ENDORSED. THE CHINESE HAVE IN THE PAST REFUSED REENTRY AT SHENZHEN TO THOSE WITHOUT ENDORSEMENT. IT SHOULD BE MADE CLEAR THEREFORE THAT WE CANNOT AUTOMATICALLY GRANT SEVEN DAYS TRANIST

TO THOSE WITHOUT THE RIGHT OF RETURN TO CHINA OR ELSEWHERE.

IN PRACTICE HOWEVER WE USUALLY MANAGE TO ARRANGE THROUGH CTS

FOR THOSE COMING FROM CHINA TO GET THE NECESSARY ENDORSEMENTS.

3. PERIOD OF TRANSIT. WE BELIEVE THAT ONE WEEK WITH EXTENSIONS

UP TO ONE MONTH SHOULD BE ADEQUATE IN ALMOST ALL CASES. IN QUITE EXCEPTIONAL CIRCUMSTANCES A LONGER EXTENSION WOULD BE CONSIDERED. BUT LIU'S EXAMPLE (WAITING FOR VISA) SHOULD NEVER ARISE SINCE TRANSIT STOP-OVER WILL ONLY HAVE BEEN GIVEN TO THOSE WITH A

VALID VISA OR VISA PROMISE LETTER.

4. POSSESSION OF ONWARD TICKETS. WE MUST BE ABLE TO CHECK THAT ONWARD TICKETS WILL BE BOUGHT BY RELATIVES OR FRIENDS IF SOMEBODY IN TRANSIT ARRIVES WITHOUT A TICKET OR THE MEANS TO BUY ONE. WE DO THIS AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. DELAY AND EMBARRASSMENT CAN

BE AVOIDED IF THOSE CONCERNED GET TICKETS SENT TO THEM IN

ADVANCE IN CHINA. MANY ALREADY DO THIS AND WE WOULD LIKE TO

ENCOURAGE IT AS A GENERAL PRACTICE.

5. PROVIDED YOU SEE NO OBJECTION GRATEFUL IF PEKING WOULD

-✩

NOW SEEK A FORMAL UNDERSTANDING FOR A TRIAL PERIOD OF THREE MONTHS

FOR THE NEW ARRANGEMENTS AS IN PARA 2(11) OF MY TELNO 468 AMENDED AS IN PARA 2 ABOVE. THE POINTS IN PARAS 3 AND 4 COULD

BE MADE ORALLY.

See (27)

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}

g

6. PLEASE SEE MY TWO IF T'S.

See

+/25

CATER LIMITE HKD

MUD FED

PS/MR RIDLEY PS MRLUCE PS PUS

SIR.A. ACLAND

MR DONALD MR EVANS

CONFIDENTIAL

THIS TELEGRAM WAS NOT

ADVANCED