TNAG-1868-FCO40-2656-Relations-between-Hong-Kong-and-Taiwan-1989 — Page 83

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CONFIDENTIAL

HKB 020/1

CONFIDENTIAL

FM FCO

TO PRIORITY PEKING

TELNO 296

OF 061315Z APRIL 89

INFO PRIORITY HONG KONG

HONG KONG FOR POLITICAL ADVISERS OFFICE

FCO TELNO 183: TAIWAN

SUMMARY

1.

POLITICAL COUNSELLOR AT THE CHINESE EMBASSY (SONG MINGJIANG) CALLED ON HEAD OF FED ON 4 APRIL TO SEEK FURTHER CLARIFICATION OF THE WORKING OF THE TAIWAN VISA HANDLING UNIT (VHU) AND TO ENQUIRE ABOUT PRESS REPORTS OF AN INTER-GOVERNMENTAL AGREEMENT ON SHIPPING FREIGHT TAX. SONG'S DETAILED QUESTIONNING SUGGESTS THAT WE HAVE NOT HEARD THE LAST OF THESE ISSUES.

DETAIL

VISA HANDLING UNIT

2.

SONG WAS KEEN TO ESTABLISH PRECISELY AT WHAT STAGE THE TAIWANESE IDENTITY DOCUMENT WOULD BE STAMPED. MILLINGTON EXPLAINED THAT THE AUTHORITY TO ENTER THE UK WOULD PHYSICALLY BE STAMPED ON A SEPARATE DECLARATION OF IDENTITY (NOT IN A TAIWANESE PASSPORT) IN TAIPEI. THIS WOULD BE A PURELY MECHANICAL EXERCISE. THERE WOULD BE NO (NO) DELEGATION OF AUTHORITY TO THE TAIWAN VHU. VISAS WOULD BE AUTHORISED IN LONDON. THEY WOULD BE MERELY HANDED OVER IN TAIWAN. THE STAMP WOULD SIMPLY SAY QUOTE AUTHORIZED BY MIGRATION AND VISA DEPARTMENT, LONDON UNQUOTE TO SHOW THAT AUTHORITY TO ISSUE VISAS RESTED IN LONDON AND NOT WITH THE ATTC 3. SONG ASKED ABOUT THE STAFF OF THE VHU. MILLINGTON SAID THAT NONE OF THEM WOULD BE BRITISH GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS. BE EMPLOYED BY THE ATTC.

THEY WOULD THE LATTER HAD ALREADY RECRUITED ONE PERSON IN THE UK. HE BELIEVED ANY OTHERS WOULD BE RECRUITED IN TAIWAN, BUT UNDERSTOOD THE ATTC WERE UNCLEAR PRECISELY HOW MANY PEOPLE WOULD BE REQUIRED UNTIL THE VHU STARTED TO OPERATE. FREIGHT TAX

4 =

SONG ALSO ASKED ABOUT A REPORT IN THE TAIWANESE INDUSTRIAL COMMERCIAL TIMES OF 17 MARCH, THAT DURING HIS VISIT TO TAIWAN ON 15 MARCH A HIGH-RANKING OFFICIAL FROM THE DTP HAD AGREED IN PRINCIPLE WITH THE TAIWANESE AUTHORITIES TO SIGN AN AGREEMENT FOR THE MUTUAL WAIVER OF FREIGHT TAX ON SHIPPING ALONG THE LINES OF THE GERMAN MODEL. SONG SAID HE HAD ASKED ABOUT THIS MATTER SOME

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