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