TNAG-1349-FCO40-1790-Chinese-visa-office-in-Hong-Kong-1984 — Page 245

GPS 300

CONFIDENTIAL

DESK BY PEKING 09093OZ

CONFIDENTAL

FM HONG KONG 0908552 FEB 84

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

TELEGRAM NUMBER 336 OF 9 FEBRUARY

INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING (DESKBY 09093OZ)

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TOP COPY

MY TELNO 90 TO PEKING: CHINESE VISA OFFICE IN HONG KONG.

DIRECTOR

1. DIRECTOR OF IMMIGRATION SPOKE TO MR ZHAO ZHENKUI, OF THE VISA OFFICE, ON 9 FEBRUARY HANDING OVER A SPEAKING NOTE (COPY BY BAG TO HKD AND PEKING). CARTER EMPHASISED IN PARTICULAR THE FOLLOWING POINTS:

(A) WE WISHED TO PROPOSE A PRACTICAL ARRANGEMENT DESIGNED TO ENSURE THAT CHINESE PASSPORT HOLDERS RECEIVING REPLACEMENT PASSPORTS FROM THE VISA OFFICE SUFFERED NO INCONVENIENCE.

(B) UNDER THE PROPOSED ARRANGEMENT, THEY WOULD BE SPARED THE NECESSITY OF QUEUING UP AT IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT FOR RENEWAL OF ENDORSEMENT.

2. ZHAO WAS RELUCTANT TO ACCEPT THE PROPOSAL. HE SAID THAT THE NUMBERS INVOLVED WERE LIKELY TO BE SMALL AND THAT IT WAS UP TO THE APPLICANTS TO ENSURE THAT THEY OBTAINED THE RENEWAL OF ENDORSEMENT. HE SHOWED SOME WILLINGNESS TO CONSIDER HAVING THE VISA OFFICE APPLY ON BEHALF OF VISITING CHINESE DELEGATIONS,~ OTHERWISE, IF TRAVELLERS GOT INTO DIFFICULTIES THIS WOULD BE THEIR FAULT. THE VISA OFFICE WOULD, OF COURSE, ADVISE THEM THAT THEY SHOULD APPLY FOR RENEWAL OF ENDORSEMENT IMMEDIATELY.

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3. THE DISCUSSION WAS INCONCLUSIVE. IT WAS AGREED THAT BOTH SIDES WOULD REFLECT ON THE MATTER.

see (12-16

4. COMMENT: IT SEEMS UNLIKELY THAT WE SHALL SUCCEED IN PERSUADING THE VISA OFFICE OR THE MFA TO ACCEPT THE ARRANGEMENTS WE PROPOSE. AS SEEN FROM HERE, IT WOULD BE WORTH THE EMBASSY MAKING ONE FURTHER ATTEMPT AT THE 10 FEBRUARY MEETING. IF THIS IS UNSUCCESSFUL, WE SHALL HAVE TO CONSIDER OTHER WAYS OF MEETING EXCO'S REQUIREMENT TO MONITOR THE NUMBERS OF PASSPORTS ISSUED. IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT WOULD IN PRACTICE BE ABLE TO KEEP TRACK OF THE NUMBERS, SINCE ALL HOLDERS OF REPLACEMENT PASSPORTS ISSUED BY THE VISA OFFICE WILL EITHER SHOW UP AT IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT WHEN APPLYING FOR RENEWAL OF ENDORSEMENT OR WILL BE IDENTIFIED WHEN THEY SEEK TO DEPART. YOUDE

LIMIND

HRD

FED

NTD

PROTOCOL D CONSULAR D

PS/MR LUCE ps/pus

MR GIFFARD MR DONALD LORD NG LENNOX ENNOX

нск 349/1.

RECEIVED IN REGISTIČY 10 FEB1034

CK OFFICEK

to

PA

حلا

CONFIDENTAI