TRAVEL DOCUMENT REQUIREMENT FOR CHINESE: A

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