Beijing has told Hong Kong-based foreign consular officials to seek approval from the Chinese authorities 10 days in advance before they pay any business visits to the Greater Bay Area (GBA) – including Macau and cities in Guangdong – according to a letter obtained by HKFP. The letter from the Commissioner’s Office of China Foreign Ministry in the Hong Kong SAR, dated August 1, stated that – if any foreign consular official needed to perform official duties “outside their consular districts within GBA,” they should obtain “prior consent.” To seek consent, the consulates will need send a note to the Chinese authorities explaining the reason for the business trips, the personnel, times and venues involved, and any “department” that foreign officials plan to visit, according to the letter.
People familiar with the matter at three separate consulates in Hong Kong confirmed the letter with HKFP, saying it was a new measure aimed at regulating consular activities. Mandy, a senior staff at a local consulate who only offered a pseudonym, told HKFP that – currently – foreign consular officials can enter Macau with their diplomatic passports or Consular Corps Identity Card issued by the Hong Kong government. “Many consulates in Hong Kong also oversee Macau, and therefore we need go to Macau from time to time.
And we also visit Shenzhen, Guangzhou, or other cities in Guangdong province to attend activities like opening ceremonies, or for visiting businesspeople.