CONFIDENTIAL
disturbances of 1967. Ocassionally minor incidents occur such
Last year
In
as stone-throwing by children on the Chinese side.
such incidents were rare. Occasional incidents also occur of
Hong Kong pleasure vessels straying into Chinese waters.
recent years the vessels and crews have been released promptly.
Illegal immigrants from China normally attempt to swim to
Hong Kong rather than cross the land frontier.
During the
last two years there has been a marked increase in the number
of illegal immigrants:-
1970
1676
1971
3471
1972
4500
(provisional).
Chinese militia have very occasionally crossed the border to
retrieve immigrants and Chinese junks have been known to land
in parts of the New Territories for this purpose. Fishing rights
and disputed oyster beds have from time to time caused friction
between Chinese and Hong Kong villages.
4
CONFIDENTIAL