TNAG-1095-FCO40-1345-Visas-for-Chinese-nationals-visiting-Hong-Kong-1987 — Page 65

GR 1200

CONFIDENTIAL

FM PEKING 060645Z AUG 81

TO PRIORITY F C O

TELNO 529 OF 6 AUGUST

CONFIDENTAL

INFO ROUTINE TO HONG KONG.

R+ R. to me with references

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MKK 345/4

RELIVED IN RANGTRY RO. 51

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7 AUG 1981

PEKING TELNO 390: HONG KONG TRANSIT VISAS ÉTA

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TRANSIT VISAS

INDEX

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REGISTRY Action Taken

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1. THE VICE-DIRECTOR OF THE MFA CONSULAR DEPARTMENT, LIU QINGYOU, ASKED ME TO CALL YESTERDAY TO RESUME THE TALKS HELD

HERE ON 28 MAY.

2. LIU SAID THAT OUR OFFER TO PERMIT CHINESE CITIZENS IN TRANSIT

TO STAY IN HONG KONG FOR SEVEN DAYS, WITH A POSSIBLE EXTENSION TO ONE MONTH, WAS POSITIVE (SEMICOLON) THE CHINESE WOULD LIKE TO AGREE THAT WE SHOULD PROCEED TO AN UNDERSTANDING ON THIS MATTER HE ASKED US TO UNDERSTAND THAT, BECAUSE OF THE TIGHT FOREIGN EXCHANGE SITUATION IN CHINA, SOME CHINESE TRANSIT VISITORS WOULD NOT HOLD ONWARD TICKETS OR CASH, SINCE THEY WOULD BE DEPENDENT ON RELATIVES OR FRIENDS LIVING IN HONG KONG TO PURCHASE THEIR ONWARD TICKETS.

3. LIU ASKED THAT WE SHOULD ALLOW SOME TRANSITTING CHINESE PASSPORT HOLDERS TO STAY IN HONG KONG FOR MORE THAN ONE MONTH IF THEY COULD NOT EITHER ON AN OUTWARD JOURNEY FROM, OR ON A RETURN JOURNEY TO CHINA - PROCEED AFTER ONE MONTH, HE ASKED THAT SUCH PEOPLE BE ALLOWED TO STAY FOR UP TO THREE MONTHS. I POINTED OUT THAT WE HAD ALREADY SAID THAT THE HONG KONG IMMIGRATION

AUTHORITIES WOULD BE PREPARED TO EXTEND TRANSIT BEYOND ONE MONTH IN EXCEPTIONAL CASES, AND ASKED LIU IF HE HAD ANY IDEA ABOUT THE PERCENTAGE OF TRAVELLERS WHO MIGHT APPLY TO EXTEND. HE SAID HE WAS THINKING OF A SMALL PERCENTAGE, INCLUDING SOME WHO MIGHT STILL BE AWAITING VISAS FROM THIRD COUNTRY CONSULATES IN HONG KONG. I AGREED THAT THESE SHOULD NOT AMOUNT TO A LARGE PROBLEM, BUT THE ONLY WAY TO GAUGE IT WOULD BE TO HAVE THE PROPOSED THREE MONTH

TRIAL PERIOD FOR THE UNDERSTANDING''.

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4. LIU (WHO AS YOU KNOW FROM PREVIOUS REPORTS) IS A PRICKLY MAN OF VERY NATIONALISTIC VIEWS, APPEARED TO ACCEPT THE OTHER CONDITIONS FOR AN UNDERSTANDING WITH THE FOLLOWING EXCEPTION. WHILE EMPHASIZING THAT CHINA WOULD ACCEPT BACK ANY OF HER CITIZENS WITH CHINESE RESIDENCE WHO OVERSTAYED THEIR WELCOME IN HONG KONG, HE PROPOSED THAT OVERSEAS CHINESE CITIZENS WHOULD BE RETURNED BY HONG KONG TO THEIR COUNTRY OF RESIDENCE AND NOT TO CHINA. THIS

SEEMS NOT UNREASONABLE.

5. 1 RECOMMEND THAT, PROVIDING HONG KONG CAN ACCOMMODATE THE CHINESE ON THIS POINT, OUR BEST COURSE WOULD NOW BE TO TRY TO FORMALISE AN UNDERSTANDING BY MEANS OF AN EXCHANGE OF NOTES OR MEMORANDA

WITH THE

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