Cablegate: Travel Document Requirement for Chinese: A

VZCZCXYZ0000
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHQT #1127 3402228
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 052228Z DEC 08
FM AMEMBASSY QUITO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9714
INFO RUEHBO/AMEMBASSY BOGOTA 7869
RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA 4042
RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS 3296
RUEHLP/AMEMBASSY LA PAZ DEC LIMA 2934
RUEHGL/AMCONSUL GUAYAQUIL 3956
RHEFHLC/DEPT OF HOMELAND SECURITY WASHINGTON DC
RHMFISS/HQ USSOUTHCOM MIAMI FL
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RHMFISS/CDR USSOUTHCOM MIAMI FL

UNCLAS QUITO 001127

SENSITIVE

SIPDIS

HSTC

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: CVIS PREL PGOV ASEC CMGT KCRM KFRD KTIP EC
CH, CO, PE
SUBJECT: TRAVEL DOCUMENT REQUIREMENT FOR CHINESE: A
CONFUSED START

REF: A. STATE 112021
B. GUAYAQUIL 257
C. QUITO 1100

1. (SBU) Summary: Although the GOE signed an MOU with China
on November 20 to implement a new travel document policy for
Chinese tourists traveling to Ecuador, to be effective on
December 1, the policy had not been implemented as of
December 5. Until it receives clear instructions from the
GOE, China has temporarily reinstated an exit visa
requirement for Chinese to depart China en route to Ecuador.
(End Summary)

2. (SBU) The GOE signed an MOU with China on November 20
establishing a new procedure to process the entry of Chinese
tourists into Ecuador (Ref C). The MOU states that Chinese
tourists must travel in groups and have their passports and
travel documentation verified by pre-designated travel
agencies in China who prepare a letter of authorization.
This letter must then be stamped by the Ecuadorian Consular
Office in Beijing. This document will then be demanded by
Chinese immigration upon departure and by Ecuadorian
immigration upon entry. The MOU was forwarded to the
Ecuadorian Immigration Police on November 27 advising that
the policy should be implemented on December 1.

3. (SBU) The Chief of Staff at the MFA's Under Secretariat of
Consular Affairs, Jose Antonio Terranza, told PolOff on
December 5 that no cross-checking procedure was envisioned
for the Immigration Police in Ecuador to verify names of
travelers approved by the Ecuadorian mission in China.
Terranza further noted that the new travel document policy
for Chinese tourists had not yet been implemented, and that
the Ecuadorian MFA was working out details with their Chinese
counterparts.

4. (SBU) The Acting Chinese Consul in Quito, Wei "Alejandro"
He, said on December 5 that the Chinese National Tourist
Administration (CNTA) had not yet designated or registered
travel agencies in China to implement the policy. He added
that the GOC had not received clear implementing instructions
from the Ecuadorian MFA, nor had the GOC provided any
guidance to their immigration or airlines that service
Ecuador from China. He added that until the new procedure
was clearly established, Chinese immigration had stopped
allowing Chinese tourists to depart for Ecuador unless they
had a valid tourist visa.

5. (SBU) Ecuador's Immigration Police told Embassy Quito's
DHS ICE Attache on December 5 that they had just received
guidance on how to proceed, but had not yet implemented the
procedures. Embassy will follow-up to obtain a copy of the
guidance. The Chinese Embassy said it would also follow-up
with the MFA's Under Secretary of Consular Affairs Alfonso
Lopez Araujo when he returns from travel on December 8.
CHRITTON

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