CONTADENILAD AND PERSONNE
Second, Lord Goronwy-Roberts is likely to be visiting Hong Kong from 12-17 January, in the course of a wider Far Eastern tour, in order to get a general on-the-spot view of problems and life in the Colony.
Chinese Illegal Immigration
3.
The Political Adviser and the Secretary for the New Territories recently reached an agreement with Chinese officials for the return with effect from 30 November of Chinese illegal immigrants caught entering Hong Kong. The Chinese asked that the "oral agreement" should be recorded in written form, and a form of words was agreed which will leave the Hong Kong Government some flexibility in determining who should be returned. The first
returns may not take place until the week beginning 2 December but there is likely to be a fair amount of (mixed) publicity when they begin.
BBC Television Programme on Defence
4.
A BBC "Midweek" team, seeking to get some up-to-date background shots of the Services in the Far East which they can use to illustrate any future programme on defence, will be visiting Hong Kong from 25 November to 10 December, following a five day visit to Singapore. MOD approved both visits on the basis of "mute location" filming only, and there are to be no interviews with service personnel. We have heard that, while in Hong Kong, the team also hope to examine police corruption. They are in touch with David Ford, and in view of the sensitivity of their interests they will need careful handling.
Miscellaneous
5.
I shall report more fully on the Governor's forthcoming discussions in my next letter. Please let me know if there are any other political topics on which you would particularly like our comments. I assume that you are well informed locally of the progress of the Godber case and of the outcome of the trial of the 118 South Vietnam illegal immigrants returned to Saigon in June.
ECONOMIC
David Jordan
6. David Jordan's visit passed off quite well and there is little I can add to what you already know from the record of the meeting on 22 October sent to you by DOT and from Jordan's own statement on his return to Hong Kong. Much time was taken up after the plenary meeting in discussions of the memorandum (para. 14 of the record refers) which the Hong Kong side wished to present to the EEC Commission and in the capitals of the Nine. Though this is now water under the bridge I enclose a copy of the text. We on the United Kingdom side all felt that the implied threat on the part of Hong Kong to insist on the negotiation of an Article 3 agreement under the MFA unless the EEC were prepared to make concessions under the GSP for 1975, was seriously mistaken and capable of harming
/Hong Kong's
CONFIDENTIAL AND PERSONAL