L
CONFIDENTIAL
'B'
IMMIGRATION AT LOWU
1.
The Hong Kong Government are faced with a dramatically
increased number of immigrants from China, both illegal (escapers)
and legal. The latest figures are given at Annex A. Unless steps
are taken to curb the flow, the increase in Hong Kong's population
through immigration during the current financial year could reach
a total similar to the natural increase in the population last
year (58,000). If this rate of immigration continues it will have
an extremely serious effect on the Hong Kong Government's welfare,
social, and development plans. There are also potential security
problems.
2.
The Hong Kong Government therefore wish to take steps urgently
to reduce the total of Chinese immigration into Hong Kong.
They
are reluctant to return illegal immigrants to China, but HM
Ambassador in Peking has questioned whether it is right to
discriminate in their favour. What the Hong Kong Government would
like to do is to reintroduce a modified version of the system of
immigration control which existed until 1967.
3. Under the pre-1967 system there was a checkpoint on the bridge
at Lowu which made it possible to turn people back before they
reached Hong Kong territory.
Kwangtung had to apply for an entry visa, and a limit of 50 per day
was imposed on immigrants from Kwangtung province. The immigration
control point on the bridge at Lowu was abandoned during the
trouble of 1967 but during the Cultural Revolution the Chinese
themselves restricted immigration to a very low level and until
last year no practical problems arose.
Residents of all the provinces except
CONFIDENTIAL
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