GR 378
SECRET
FM PEKING 190738Z
TO PRIORITY F C O
TELNO 368 OF 19 MAY 1981
INFO PRIORITY HONG KONG.
SECRET
HITI 349/1
TY. 57
MAY 184
RECEIVED
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#ES
PA
INDEX
سال
REGISTRY
Action Taken
Dr.5 pan 2115
CHINESE VISA OFFICE: WILSON'S LETTER OF 4 MAY TO CLIFT
31
1. THIS IS A DIFFICULT ISSUE. LEGISLATION ALONG THE LINES PROPOSED IS ONE COURSE. IT SHOULD SATISFY THE CHINESE
REQUIREMENTS AND THUS SOLVE THE IMMEDIATE PROBLEM. IF WE ARE
TO LEGISLATE I SHOULD PREFER TO SEE A SELF-CONTAINED BILL (WILSON'S PARAGRAPH 7), IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN A CLEARER DIST-
INCTION BETWEEN THE VISA OFFICE AND FULL CONSULATES. AN
UNDERSTANDING WITH THE CHINESE AS IN WILSON'S PARAGRAPH 8
WOULD ALSO BE ESSENTIAL.
2. I AM HOWEVER CONCERNED THAT, HAVING TAKEN A ROBUST STAND
HITHERTO, WE SHOULD NOW BE SEEN TO GIVE WAY COMPLETELY UNDER
PRESSURE. HOWEVER DESIRABLE IT IS TO REMOVE THE IRRITANT THAT
THE VISA OFFICA HAS BECOME IN OUR RELATIONS WITH THE CHINESE, WE HAVE TO CONSIDER THE IMPLICATIONS IN THE WIDER CHINA/HONG
KONG CONTEXT. WE HAVE ONLY A LIMITED NUMBER OF CARDS AND ONE
IS CONTROL OVER THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT OFFICES IN HONG KONG.
PY
See 35
3. THE PROBLEM IS MADE WORSE BY THE FACT THAT A SUITABLE QUID
PRO QUO IS PROBABLY IMPOSSIBLE TO FIND. I AGREE THAT THE TRANSIT
VISA ISSUE IS BEST LEFT ALONE. I ALSO HAVE DOUBTS ABOUT RAISINF
LEGAL IMMIGRATION. THIS IS AN ISSUE THE CHINESE WILL BE UNWILLING
TO DISCUSS, AND THEY WOULD ARGUE WITH SOME JUSTIFICATION THAT IT
IS A QUITE SEPARATE ONE. UNLESS WE WERE ABLE TO ESTABLISH A LINK
BETWEEN IT AND THE VISA OFFICE (WHICH I DO NOT THINK WE COULD), THE CHINESE WOULD PROBABLY POCKET THE CONCESSION ON THE
LATTER AND IGNORE OUR REPRESENTATIONS ON LEGAL IMMIGRATION. WE
WOULD GAIN NOTHING AND WOULD RISK PUTTING CHINESE BACKS UP.
4. PACE WILSON'S PARAGRAPHS 4 AND 5. I DO NOT THINK WE ARE
COMMITTED TO LEGISLATION YET. IT WOULD STILL BE POSSIBLE FOR SOME
TIME AT LEAST TO DO NOTHING BEYOND REPEATING OUR PRESENT POSITION.
IT WOULD ALSO BE OPEN TO US TO EXPLAIN OUR INACTION FRANKLY TO THE
CHINESE, CITING LIKELY PUBLIC REACTION, PARTICULARLY GIVEN PUBLIC CONCERN ABOUT HONG KONG'S FUTURE. THIS IS AFTER ALL WHERE THE
DIFFICULTY LIES.
5. 1 FEAR THAT IN THE END WE MAY FIND SPECIAL LEGISLATION PLUS
A MEMORANDUM, THE LEAST UNPALATABLE COURSE. BUT I SHOOLD LIKE TO BE SURE WE HAVE FULLY CONSIDERED THE ALTERNATIVE. CRADOCK
LIMITED
нкаад FED
SIR-E-YOU.DE
MRDONALD
SECRET
THE TELEGRAM
WAS NOT ADVANCED
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JT4
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