The President of the Anglo-Taiwan Trade Committee (ATTC), Lord Kindersley and his successor have just
returned from Taiwan where they saw several Ministers. The ATTC are planning a trade mission in the near futre. The FCC recently claimed, when seeking additional staff, that in 1985 they issued 7,000 letters of introduction.
for UK businessmen wishing to visit Taiwan.
The BOTB are about to issue an invitation to the Mayor
of Taipei to visit the UK. He will meet a DTI Minister.
A Seminar on inward investment is also being arranged
by the ATTC and various Chambers of Commerce are contem- plating missions to Taiwan.
In 1985 we sold £165 m of exports to Taiwan and to
Venezuela. Both have populations of
18 m. These figures
do not suggest impediments to trade in Taiwan. [NB Only 234 businessmen called at the Embassy in Caracas.]
Replacement of Mr Heathfield, Director of Anglo-Taiwan Trade
Committee
Mr Heathfield due to retire in 1987. We are in touch with the
DTI about the selection of his successor.
Visas for Taiwan Nationals Visiting Hong Kong and UK
Visa applications from Taiwan are processed in Hong Kong by the Immigration Department. The applications are sent to Hong Kong via an airline of the applicant's choice, who act as courier. The turn-round time in Hong Kong for the majority of visas is 2-3 days for visas that can be authorised in Hong Kong. Some visas can take 14 days for the whole process (and 21 days for the small percentage of visas which are referred to London). But the delay is due
to the slowness of Taiwanese travel agents, if they are used rather than a major airline. 14 days is about the time it takes UK nationals (and no doubt Taiwanese) to get
visas for the US.
In 1985 216,000 visas were issued for travel to Hong Kong and 18,600 visas for visits to the UK. The Hong Kong
Immigration/...
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