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(b) it could encourage would-be illegal immigrants to produce more plausible cover stories in order to gain entry;
(c) the Chinese, with whom the Hong Kong Government have not agreed such criteria, could be concerned lest
Hong Kong were retreating from their agreement;
(d) revelation' of the number allowed to stay might make the Chinese authorities question Hong Kong's sincerity in applying the agreement.
Line to Take
7. I recommend that Lord Goronwy-Roberts should make the following points:
(i) The decision to start repatriation, while unfortunate, was essential because the economy and infrastructure of Hong Kong could not accept the continuing influx of immigrants at the level prevailing in 1974;
(ii) the merits of each case are considered very carefully
before any decision to repatriate is made;
(iii) the criteria used are humanitarian in nature;
(iv) the Chinese would object to any formal approach on
our part to discover what happens to those who are repatriated, which they regard as their internal affair;
(v) but all the information available to us suggests that the punishment meted out to those repatriated is generally not severe and that the offence is looked on as a civil misdemeanour; [if pressed] there is evidence of sterner sentences for people found guilty of organizing and profiting from illegal travel to Hong Kong;
(vi) HMG are satisfied that the policy is being applied
humanely;
(vii) there is no evidence to suggest that political motives account for any significant proportion of attempted illegal entries. Most illegal immigrants, when interviewed, claim to be simply in search of higher living standards.
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