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HKK 341/1
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY NO. 51
9 OCT 1978
DESK OFFICER
TO IMMEDIATE F.C.0 TEL NO.1185.OF 9 OCTOBER 78,"INDEX
INFO PRIORITY PEKING,
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MY TELNO.1157: BRIEFING FOR SECRETARY OF STATE ON IMMIGRATION.
1. THE LEVEL OF LEGAL IMMIGRATION FROM CHINA HAS RISEN AGAIN SHARPLY IN THE FIRST EIGHT DAYS OF OCTOBER. TOTAL ARRIVALS DURING THAT PERIOD HAVE BEEN 2,424 (2,424), GIVING A DAILY AVERAGE OF 303 (OR 290 EXCLUDING THOSE WITH ONWARD VISAS). THIS UNWELCOME DEVELOPMENT STRENGTHENS THE ARGUMENTS FOR SPEAKING TO HUANG HUA ABOUT THE PROBLEM.
2. A SIGNIFICANT FEATURE OF THE RECENT FIGURES IS THE NUMBER OF THOSE WHO ARRIVE WITH CPG PASSPORTS BUT NO ONWARD VISAS. THESE PEOPLE HAVE ALL GOT PERMISSION TO LEAVE CHINA TO REJOIN RELATIVES IN PLACES OTHER THAN HONG KONG (MOSTLY THE PHILIPPINES).
ONCE HERE THE GREAT MAJORITY EITHER CANNOT OR DO NOT WISH TO GO ON. WE KNOW FROM LOCAL SOUTH-EAST ASIAN CONSULATES THAT THEY ISSUE VIRTUALLY NO VISAS FOR OVERSEAS CHINESE RETURNING FROM CHINA EVEN IF THEY WERE BORN IN THE COUNTRY CONCERNED. IN SEPTEMBER 2,434 (2,434) PEOPLE OUT OF A TOTAL OF 7,016: 1.E THIRTY FIVE PERCENT) ARRIVED WITH CPG PASSPORTS HAVING CLAIMED AN ONWARD DESTINATION. OF THESE ONLY ONE POINT FOUR
PERCENT (236) HAD ONWARD VISAS. 1,902 CLAIMED THE PHILIPPINES AS THEIR DESTINATION. THEY HAVE VIRTUALLY NO CHANCE OF GETTING THERE. AS A COMPARISON, IN SEPTEMBER 1977, ONLY 142, OUT OF A TOTAL OF 2,340 (2,340) ARRIVALS HAD CPG PASSPORTS.
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