TNAG-1429-FCO40-1912-Chinese-visa-office-in-Hong-Kong-1985 — Page 34

GRS 450

CONFIDENTIAL

CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG 07094OZ FEB 85

HKK 349/1 OF COPY

RECEIVED IN REGIST

15 FEB 1985

TO PRIORITY PEKING

TELEGRAM NUMBER 153 OF 7 FEBRUARY

INFO PRIORITY FCO

DESK OFFICER

INDEX

CHINESE VISA OFFICE IN HONG KONG.

PA

pa

Taken

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1. ZENG ZHIWEN, SECOND SECRETARY AT THE CHINESE VISA OFFICE, CALLED ON THE ASSISTANT POLITICAL ADVISER ON 18 JANUARY IN CONNECTION WITH THE VISA OFFICE ORDINANCE. MOST OF THE POINTS ZENG RAISED WERE STRAIGHTFORWARD QUESTIONS ABOUT TAX EXEMPTIONS, BUT THE FOLLOWING THREE POINTS WERE MORE CONTROVERSIAL:

(1)

COULD VISA OFFICE STAFF BE ISSUED WITH CONSULAR IDENTITY

CARDS OR SIMILAR?

(11)

COULD VISA OFFICE VEHICLES CARRY CONSULAR (CC) PLATES?

(111) COULD THE DIPLOMATIC STAFF OF THE VISA OFFICE (BUT NOT SERVICE PASSPORT HOLDERS) BE LISTED IN HONG KONG'S CONSULAR LIST?

2. WOOD TOOK NOTE AND AGREED TO RESPOND IN DUE COURSE.

3. YOU WILL RECALL THAT, DURING THE NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE CHINESE OVER THE VISA OFFICE, THE MFA WERE PARTICULARLY ANXIOUS TO AVOID WORDING IN THE AGREEMENT WHICH WOULD IMPLY THAT THE VISA OFFICE WAS A CONSULTATE. WE DRAFTED THE VISA OFFICE ORDINANCE ACCORDINGLY. THE VISA OFFICE STAFF HAVE NEVERTHELESS SHOWN A PERSISTENT DESIRE TO ACQUIRE ALL THE TRAPPINGS OF CONSULAR STATUS AND TO CONDUCT THEIR BUSINESS IN AS NEAR A DIPLOMATIC FASHION AS POSSIBLE. (THE INSIST, FOR EXAMPLE, ON CONDUCTING CORRESPONDENCE WITH CONSULATES BY THIRD PERSON NOTE: AND HAVE NOW BEGUN ADDRESSING THE GOVERNMENT SECRETARIAT IN THE SAME MANNER ON ISSUES RELATED TO

THE ORDINANCE).

4. IN 1981, THE DIRECTOR OF IMMIGRATION ADVISED AGAINST ISSUING SPECIAL IDENTIFICATION TO VISA OFFICE STAFF ON GROUNDS OF PRACTICALITY. THERE ARE NO (NO) SPECIAL REGISTRATION NUMBERS FOR CONSULAR CORPS CARS, ALTHOUGH THE HABIT OF USING A SEPARATE 'CC' PLATE HAS DEVELOPED. WE CANNOT LEGALLY PREVENT THE CC PLATES BEING USED, SINCE THEY OFFER NO ADVANTAGES IN LAW (THAT POINT NEED NOT OF COURSE BE MADE TO THE CHINESE). WE ARE PREPARED TO ALLOW A LISTING IN THE CONSULAR LIST, BUT AS A SEPARATE ENTRY AT THE END RATHER THAN ALPHABETICALLY, AND GIVING THE NAMES ONLY OF THE DIRECTOR AND HIS DEPUTY. THERE ARE PRACTICAL ADVANTAGES IN HAVING THE TELEPHONE NUMBER AND ADDRESS OF THE VISA OFFICE PUBLICLY AVAILABLE IN THIS FORM.

CONFIDENTIAL

15.

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