2
Alittle
Bridge at Lowu
4.
I reminded Mr Tan that there had been no further eaction from the Chinese side since PA was told in Canton on 20 May that the next move would be for the Chinese to get in touch on the railway network. I said that work was already being done to revise our plans and to allow also for the additional costs of a bridge six metres wide. Mr Tan mentioned that in Canton PA had been told that the Chinese side thought a second bridge on the west side of the present station might be necessary. I said that we were aware of this but the immediate issue was to take discussions further forward. I understood that there could, in any case, be technical difficulties on the western side. I said we hoped that some of the initial work (e.g. surveying the ground) could, if necessary, be done before final plans were agreed. Once plans were agreed, I was sure that all concerned would wish the work to be completed as soon as possible. However, it would have to be fitted in to existing commitments and, while it had, a high priority on the Hong Kong side, at this stage it was impossible to take things further. Early contact between technical experts and survey work could reduce the time it would take to see the project completed. Mr Tan took all these points and said he would report to Canton.
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Immigration from China
5.
These
I told Mr Tan that the daily average to 24 September was 214, a significant increase on the August figures, even allowing for the fact that just over nine people per day had been arriving with onward visas. did not worry us. I rehearsed the practical importance of the problem and referred briefly to remarks made in London by the Chinese Chargé d'Affaires to Mr Cortazzi (DUS, FCO), saying that our experience showed that those who really wished to travel to an overseas destination had virtually no chance. of doing so if they had not obtained visas or the promise of a visa before entering Hong Kong.
6.
Mr Tan referred to Director Wang's view that fluctuations in numbers arriving were natural and that the question should be looked at in the perspective of a longer timescale. He also referred to the traditional freedom of movement between China and Hong Kong and the wish of people to visit their relatives here. I said that I accepted numbers were higher now than the long-term average. However, since 1971 over 200,000 people had come. This was itself a considerable problem and the total was equivalent to about 40% of the projected size of Shatin New Town. In fact, there were controls on movement: as Mr Tan knew, before coming to Hong Kong people had to obtain travel documents
/contd....
TIAL
CONFIDENTIAL