GPS 650
CONFIDENTIAL
DESKBY 030700 Z
FM HONG KONG 030623Z APR 81
TO IMMEDIATE PEKING
CONFIDENTIAL
TELEGRAM NUMBER 109 OF 3 APRIL
INFO PRIORITY FCO
Hick 34514!
VRY NO. 51
-
- 3 APR 1981
TOP
OPY
frum
YOURTELNO 25: HONG KONG TRANSIT VISAS ETC.
مل
REGISTRY Action Taken
AW 14/4
See
I AM SURPRISED THAT HUANG SHOULD RAISE SUCH MINOR MATTERS AT SECRETARY OF STATE LEVEL, PARTICULARLY WHEN THEY HAVE ALREADY BEEN
DEALT WITH BY THE EMBASSY OR IN CONVERSATION WITH NONA HERE. 2. BACKGROUND TO ALL THESE PROBLEMS IS THAT MANY ATTEMPTS BY THOSE ALLEGEDLY IN TRANSIT HAVE BEEN MADE TO ABUSE THE SYSTEM AND INDEED DECEIVE THECHINESE. THE PROBLEM REACHED A PEAK IN DECEMBER 1978
WHEN AN AVERAGE OF 150 PEOPLE A DAY WERE ARRIVING CLAIMING TO BE IN TRANIST OF WHICH AN ESTIMATED 60 PER CENT CLEARLY HAD NO INTENTION
OF LEAVING HONG KONG. THIS CAUSED OUR IMMIGRATION AUTHORITIES TO
TIGHTEN UP ON THEIR EXAMINATION OF THOSE CONCERNED. BUT IT WAS NOT
UNTIL THE NED OF THE TOUCHED BASE POLICY IN OCTOBER THAT IT WAS
POSSIBLE TO BRING THE PROBLEM PROPERLY UNDER CONTROL.
3. ON DETAIL:
(A) PERIOD OF TRANSIT. WE NOW FOLLOW NORMAL BRITISH PRACTICE IN GIVING A 48 HOUR VISA TO THOSE IN TRANSIT, THOSE WHO HAVE
RELATIVES ETC IN HONG KONG, AND PROOF THAT THEY WILL GO ON, ARE READILY GIVEN EXTENSIONS UP TO A MONTH. THOSE HUANG REFERS TO AS
BEING ALLOWED 7 DAYS WITHOUT VISAS ARE NATIONALS OF COUNTRIES
WITH WHICH WE HAVE RECIPROCAL ARRANGEMENTS. IT IS IRRELEVANT
WHETHER THEY ARE OVERSEAS CHINESE. BEFORE THE TOUCHED BASE POLICY
WAS CHANGED, THOSE IN TRANSIT WERE LANDED FOR 3 MONTHS, SINCE ANYTHING SHORTER WAS MEANINGLESS IF THEY THREW AWAY THEIR DOCUMENTS
AND CLAIMED TO BE SUCCESSFUL ILLEGALS. SINCE OCTOBER, AND THE 48
HOUR PLUS EXTENSION POLICY, THE SITUATION IS MUCH MORE SATISFACTORY.
97. PER CENT OF THOSE ALLOWED TO TRANSIT NOW GO ON.
(B) DETENTION ETC. THIS IS ESSENTIALLY A PROBLEM OF THE PAST.
DETAILED BACKGROUND IS IN MY TELNO 1306 OF OCTOBER 1980 AND FURTHER
TELS IN THAT SERIES. SINCE OCTOBER LAST YEAR LENGTHY INTERROGATION
TO ESTABLISH INTENTION HAS BECOME LESS NECESSARY. NOW 48 HOUR
TRANSIT IS GIVEN TO MOST WHO CLAIM IT. DOUBTFUL CASES MIGHT
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MIK 3.45/1
BE QUESTIONED FOR UP TO HALF HOUR. DETENTION WILL ONLY OCCUR IF
THOSE CONCERNED HAVE NO ONWARD TICKET AND CLAIM THAT A RELATIVE
WILL BUY IT. THEY ARE THENHELD UNTIL THE TICKET IS PRODUCED. IT FOLLOWS THAT, IN SUCH CASE, THERE IS ALWAYS CONTACT WITH RELATIVES. SINCE THE BEGINNING OF JANUARY ONLY 20 CLAIMING TO BE IN TRANSIT HAVE BEEN DETAINED AND OF THESE ONLY 5 IN POLICE CELLS. THERE IS NO DISCRIMINATION AGAINST CHINESE: THE SAME IS DONE TO OTHER NATIONALS (C) TRANSIT VISAS FROM EMBASSY. THE ESSENTIAL POINT HERE IS THE
CONFIDENTIAL
/STRAIN
Bu
1980
! potel pay one week 314
If 3.4.
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