According to a Chinese student knowledgeable about China who is currently residing in Ottawa, a Chinese national residing in China requires a permit to visit the Shenzhen Special Economic Zone (SEZ) (17 August 1994). This permit could be obtained at either the Public Security Department office in the applicant's area of residence or at the Public Security Department office in Canton (ibid.). The permit can be acquired upon presentation of an identifcation card or by mail upon written request (ibid.). To the source's knowledge, it is relatively easy for a Chinese national to obtain this permit since the regulations governing the acquisition of these permits are not strictly applied (ibid.).

The student stated that in 1985 a permit to go to Shenzhen SEZ was acquired in the form of a "piece of paper" carrying a stamp from the Public Security Department (ibid.). The document contained the name of its holder, his or her place of work and the purpose of the trip, but no photographs (ibid.).

Further or corroborative information from other sources currently available to the DIRB in Ottawa could not be found. Inquiries have been made to the Embassy of the Republic of China in Ottawa and any information received will be immediately forwarded to you. However, attached please find an excerpt on Shenzhen SEZ from China-A Travel Survival Kit, which may be of interest. According to its authors, "the Northern part of the SEZ is walled of from the rest of China by an electrified fence to prevent smuggling and to keep back the hoards of people trying to emigrate illegally to Shenzhen and Hong Kong" (Buckley et al. Mar. 1994, 154).

For general information on freedom of movement within China, please refer to Country Reports 1993.

This response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the DIRB within time constraints. This response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum.

Chinese student knowledgeable about China, Ottawa. 17 August 1994. Telephone interview.

Buckley, Michael et al. March 1994. 4th ed. China-A Travel Survival Kit. Hawthorn, Australia: Lonely Planet Publications.

Buckley, Michael et al. March 1994. 4th ed. China-A Travel Survival Kit. Hawthorn, Australia: Lonely Planet Publications, pp. 253-54.