TNAG-2291-FCO40-3300-Relations-between-Hong-Kong-and-Taiwan-1991 — Page 51

CONFIDENTIAL

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TAIWAN: NEW HEAD OF CHUNG HWA TRAVEL SERVICE

SUMMARY

1. THE TAIWANESE WISH TO APPOINT JOHN NI CHANG-I AS THE NEW HEAD OF THE CHUNG HWA TRAVEL SERVICE IN HONG KONG. THIS WOULD SIGNIFICANTLY UPGRADE THE TAIWANESE (UNOFFICIAL) REPRESENTATION HERE. WE PROPOSE TO ALLOW NI TO COME IF HE RETIRES FROM THE GOVERNMENT AND WORKS IN HONG KONG IN A PRIVATE CAPACITY.

DETAIL

2. THE CHUNG HWA TRAVEL SERVICE IS THE LEADING UNOFFICIAL TAIWANESE ORGANISATION IN HONG KONG. IT HAS PSEUDO-CONSULAR FUNCTIONS, AND ISSUES VISAS FOR HONG KONG PEOPLE TRAVELLING TO TAIWAN. AT PRESENT, THE AGENCY IS HEADED MY MR TENG PEI-WIN, WHO IS AN OFFICIAL IN THE TAIWANESE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS, AS IS HIS ASSISTANT, MR HUANG CHING-WUNG.

3. TENG HAS ASKED THE DIRECTOR OF IMMIGRATION HOW TO GO ABOUT APPLYING FOR THE NECESSARY EMPLOYMENT VISA PERMIT TO ENABLE A SUCCESSOR, JOHN NI CHANG-I, TO TAKE OVER HIS POSITION AS DIRECTOR OF THE TRAVEL SERVICE. NI IS CURRENTLY DIRECTOR GENERAL OF THE INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT AND INVESTMENT CENTRE IN THE MINISTRY OF ECONOMIC AFFAIRS IN TAIPEI. HE IS ALSO A MEMBER OF THE 13TH CENTRAL COMMITTEE OF THE KMT. A LETTER FROM THE TRAVEL SERVICE HAS MADE IT CLEAR THAT WITH NI'S APPOINTMENT, IT INTENDS TO EXPAND ITS OPERATION TO INCLUDE THE PROMOTION OF TRADE RELATIONS WITH TAIWAN. NI WILL APPARENTLY ALSO OVERSEE THE WORK OF THE NEW TAIPEI TRADE CENTRE IN HONG KONG. THIS WOULD GIVE HIM MOST OF THE FUNCTIONS OF A CONSUL-GENERAL. THERE ARE ALSO INDICATIONS THAT NI MIGHT TAKE OVER AS HEAD OF THE KMT UNDERGROUND ORGANISATION HERE. IF THAT WERE THE CASE, HE WOULD BE A SIGNIFICANT FIGURE IN THE COMMUNITY. HIS APPOINTMENT WOULD ALSO FOCUS TAIWANESE REPRESENTATION IN A SINGLE PERSON.

4. WE HAVE RECEIVED, VIA THE BRITISH TRADE COMMISSION, A LETTER FROM LOWSLEY, THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF THE ANGLO-TAIWAN TRADE

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