CONFIDENTAL
GR 760
CONFIDENTIAL
FM PEKING 250825Z MAR 81
TO PRIORITY GOVERNOR HONG KONG
TELEGRAM NUMBER 14 OF 25/3
INFO FCO
HONG KONG VISA POLICY
See (2
+
HKK
4
34514
RELIVED POBO. $1
2 7 MAR 1981
ESSX OFICER INDEX
PA
$27.3.
1. ON 18 MARCH HEAD OF CHANCERY WAS SUMMONED TO MFA BY
NEI GONGCHENG, DIRECTOR OF CONSULAR DEPARTMENT TO DISCUSS VISAS FOR HONG KONG.
PESTRY
Action Taken
PG 2.7/3
See
2. NIE EXPLAINED THAT WITH THE INTRODUCTION OF DIRECT
FLIGHTS BETWEEN PEKING AND HONG KONG CONSULAR DEPARTMENT WERE RECEIVING MANY LETTERS AND TELEPHONE CALLS FROM PRIVATE PRC CITIZENS COMPLAINING THAT THEY COULD NOT
TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THESE DIRECT FLIGHTS AS THEY HAVE BEEN INFORMED BY THE EMBASSY THAT THEY CAN ONLY ENTER HONG KONG THROUGH LO WU. HE ADDED THAT IN SOME CASES PRC CITIZENS HAD ARRIVED IN HONG KONG ON THE DIRECT FLIGHT BUT HAD BEEN DETAINED WHILE PASSENGERS OF OTHER NATIONALITIES ON THE SAME FLIGHT WERE ALLOWED ENTRY. HE REFERRED TO THIS TREATMENT AS, ''DISCRIMINATORY. WHEN QUESTIONED NIE GAVE THE IMPRESSION THAT THESE PASSENGERS HAD ARRIVED IN DIRECT TRANSIT AND ON ARRIVAL IN HONG KONG HAD ATTEMPTED TO STOP OVER. ATKINSON POINTED OUT THAT IT WAS INTERNATIONAL PROCEDURE THAT AIRLINES SHOULD NOT ACCEPT PASSENGERS UNLESS THEY FULFILLED VISA REQUIREMENTS FOR ALL COUNTRIES OF DESTINATION. CAAC SHOULD INFORM DIRECT TRANSIT PASSENGERS THAT UNLESS THEY HELD A TRANSIT VISA THEY COULD NOT STOP OVER IN HONG KONG.
3.
ATKINSON OUTLINED THE DIFFICULTIES AND PROBLEMS WITH WHICH
WE WOULD BE FACED IN IMPLEMENTING THE CHINESE PROPOSALS EG MANPOWER AND ACCOMMODATION CONSTRAINTS, DIFFICULTIES INVOLVED
IN DETECTION OF FORGED DOCUMENTS - THIS COULD RESULT IN AN
INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF PRIVATE PRC CITIZENS DETAINED AT
KAI TAK ETC. NIE TOOK NOTE AND THEN MADE A FORMAL REQUEST THAT THE EMBASSY SHOULD PROCESS TRANSIT VISA APPLICATIONS FOR
HONG KONG FOR PRIVATE PRC CITIZENS RESIDENT IN PEKING AND
IN THE NORTH OF CHINA SO THAT THEY COULD ENTER HONG KONG AT KAI
TAK AIRPORT.
COMMENT
4.
FROM OUR POINT OF VIEW THE PRESENT ARRANGEMENT WORKS WELL.
THE SERVICE PROVIDED AT LO WU SHOULD ALSO IMPROVE WHEN THE NEW FACILITIES ARE COMPLETED. IF IT WAS AGREED THAT PRIVATE
CONFIDENTIAL
17
/PRC CIMZENS
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