TNAG-1097-FCO40-1347-Chinese-visa-office-in-Hong-Kong-1982 — Page 163

DRAFT MEMORANDUM

ANNEX -A

His Excellency Ke Hua, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the People's Republic of China to the

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and Sir Edward Youde, Deputy to the Permanent Under-Secretary of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office of the United

Kingdom, held talks in London on

on matters relating to the Visa Office of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China in Hong Kong and reached the following understanding:

i) In order to meet the growing need for economic,

trade, tourist, cultural and other exchanges between China and Hong Kong, the Chinese side and the British authorities in Hong Kong orally agreed on 9 August 1979 that the Chinese side was

to set up in Hong Kong a Visa Office of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's

Republic of China.

ii) To ensure the smooth functioning of the said Visa

Office in Hong Kong, it will enjoy the following

privileges:

a) exemption from taxes on its revenue (eg from visa fees); b) the right to use cypher; ¦

c) exemption from taxes on salaries or emoluments

of its China-based officials and staff members;

d) courier service to be exempt from search;

/(e)