TNAG-2908-FCO40-4182-Detention-of-Hong-Kong-residents-in-China-1993 — Page 65

26-JAN-1993 15:16

POLITICAL ADVISOR OFFICE

+852 521 8702

P.02

布政司署

香港下亞厘道

Our Ref.:

PAO(C) 1/3371/86

來函檔號 Your Ref.:

J. Woodrow Esq.,

Hong Kong Department, FCO.

RF

Ran

ли Шаблон

IND

BY FAX

GOVERNMENT SECRETARIAT

LOWER ALBERT ROAD HONG KONG

HKD as/1

27 JAN 1993

26 January 1993

ISTRY

n Taxeri

Tsim Tai Hing

Thank you for your letter of 5 January 1993 concerning the abovenamed. It has taken us some time in tracing the previous relevant correspondence on the matter, hence the slight delay in reply. Hong Kong Immigration Department confirms that the abovenamed is a permanent resident of Hong Kong, holding HKID H384195(4), who departed Hong Kong for China on 22 May 1990 and has never since returned.

I enclose Stephen Bradley's replies to Madam Lau Ah Kuk's letter to the Governor of 1 January 1992, which should be self-explanatory. Since then, we have not been informed of further details. We understand that the legal limit for detaining a person without trial in China is 3 months after which the detainee must be charged except under exceptional circumstances. So I suggest the next thing we should do is to raise again this case with the NCNA and ask them to confirm whether the above named has been charged by the Hainan authorities if so, with what; if not, the abovenamed should be brought to fair trial as soon as possible. We would also ask whether it is possible for his family to see him on humanitarian grounds.

Yours sincenly Paula

(Edmond Lau)

Assistant Political Adviser (s)