FO371-46258 — Page 93

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THE FOREIGN SERVICE

OF THE

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

enter som

F 9357

American Embassy, London November 8, 1945

1945

Dear Slandere Bennett:

You will recall that in our conversation yesterday I mentioned the general problem of controls in Hong Kong over non-British merchants returning to that colony. Since my conversation with you, we have received a message from the Department of State to the effect that British Consular officers in the United States have de- clined to issue visas to enable American citizens to enter Hong Kong for commercial purposes. We understand that this does not apply to the issue of visas to Ameri- can bankers heretofore engaged in the banking business in Hong Kong. The Department states that American business men have drawn the inference that the British authorities are willing to have American banking insti- tutions make their finances available to the British colony, but are not willing to permit Americans to resume businesses previously established in the colony or to establish new businesses therein. This policy obviously seriously handicaps American business men, both those previously engaged in business in the colony and those intending now to engage in business. It also handicaps many American business organizations which in the past have done business in both Hong Kong and adjacent Chinese territory.

The Department has requested that we take up the matter with the appropriate British authorities with a view to their adopting a more lenient policy with respect to the granting of visas to American business men. We have been requested to point out that under existing United States visa regulations, American Consular officers are authorized to take immediate action upon applications for passport visas of business men intending to travel in any American territory with the exception of the Philippine

Islands.

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