TNAG-1095-FCO40-1345-Visas-for-Chinese-nationals-visiting-Hong-Kong-1987 — Page 92

GR 610

CONFIDENTIAL

FM PEKING

CONFIDENTIAL

DESKBY HONG KONG 030190Z

TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG

TELEGRAM NUMBER 25 OF 2/4

INFO FCO

Hicke

345/4

RECEIVED 4STRY NO. 51

P

3 APR 1981

MSK OFFICER

INDEX

مر

PA

firk.

RECETRY Action Taxan

FOR GOVERNOR

SECRETARY OF STATE'S MEETING WITH CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTER:

2 APRIL:

HONG KONG TRANSIT VISAS.

See

1. DURING DISCUSSION OF BILATERAL QUESTIONS, THE CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTER SAID HE WISHED TO RAISE PROBLEMS CONCERNING PRIVATE PRC CITIZENS TRANSITING HONG KONG. HE RECEIVED A GOOD DEAL OF CORRESPONDENCE COMPLAINING ABOUT HONG KONG REGULATIONS, AND THE TREATMENT CHINESE CITIZENS SOMETIMES RECEIVED IN HONG KONG.

2. THERE WERE THREE ASPECTS OF THIS PROBLEM. FIRST, THE

FACT THAT CHINESE PASSPORT HOLDERS TRANSITING HONG KONG WERE ONLY ALLOWED, IN PRINCIPLE, TO STAY FOR 48 HOURS, ALTHOUGH IT WAS POSSIBLE FOR THEM TO APPLY TO STAY FOR A FURTHER SEVEN DAYS. THE 48 HOUR PERIOD WAS REASONABLY SHORT. BY CONTRAST OVERSEAS CHINESE CITIZENS HOLDING PASSPORTS OF OTHER COUNTRIES WERE ALLOWED TO STAY IN HONG KONG INITIALLY FOR SEVEN DAYS ON PRESENTATION OF THEIR PASSPORTS AND WITHOUT COMPLETION OF VISA FORMALITIES. THIS AMOUNTED TO DISCRIMINATION AGAINST PRIVATE PRC CITIZENS. ACCORDINGLY, HUANG ASKED THAT THEY BE GRANTED SEVEN DAYS INITIAL STAY WITH A POSSIBLE EXTENSION TO ONE MONTH IF THEY WERE UNABLE TO COMPLETE THEIR LEGITIMATE BUSINESS IN HONG KONG WITHIN SEVEN DAYS. IF SUCH CHINESE CITIZENS ATTEMPTED TO PROLONG THEIR STAY IN HONG KONG FOR MORE THAN A MONTH WITHOUT GOOD CAUSE, THEY COULD BE SENT BACK TO THE PRC PROVIDED THEY WERE CHINESE CITIZENS. THE PRC WOULD NOT REFUSE TO ACCEPT THEM BACK.

3. TO ILLUSTRATE HIS POINT HUANG HANDED OVER A COPY OF A LETTER RECENTLY RECEIVED FROM TWO CHINESE CITIZENS RESIDENT IN THE PHILIPPINES (COPY BY BAG).

CONFIDENTIAL

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one week

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