じ
CONFIDENTIAL
011140
MOHIAN 0923
44
(4
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 1684
OF 281048Z OCTOBER 93
INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG
(41
Our telno 1610: One-Way Permits
Summary
TOP COPY Q DIST 2
-pa 341/1.
03
1. NCNA tell us that one-way permit quotas will continue to be decided by Chinese authorities, and that HKG has no (no) right to contribute to these decisions. We protest at this unacceptable unilateralism. A disturbing development, which would cause alarm if publicly known. But this may not be a fully considered decision. We should keep trying to get the scheme back onto a consultative basis.
Detail
2.
Li Hexie of NCNA Foreign Affairs Department telephoned Acting Political Adviser late on 27 October to relay the Chinese response to our request for assurances, reported in TUR, on one-way permits. Speaking with obvious discomfort, Li said pointedly that this was a decision by the Ministry of Public Security (MPS), with which he was personally unhappy.
3. Li then read out his instructions. These said that residents of China had by tradition enjoyed the right of entry to and exit from Hong Kong. This right should not be restricted by HKG. Decisions by the relevant authorities in China to impose or modify entry quotas were made in the light of Hong Kong's ability to absorb new arrivals and of the personal circumstances of applicants for entry. The Chinese side expected the understanding and co- operation of the Hong Kong side in implementing such decisions. facilitate co-operation, the Chinese side would inform the Hong Kong side whenever it decided to make further changes to the quota.
4.
To
Ashton said that this was a very disturbing development. HKG could not accept that the one-way permit scheme should operate on a unilateral basis. Settlement in Hong Kong by PRC nationals was an issue of well-known sensitivity in Hong Kong. HKG had a
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