CONFIDENTIAL
GR 290
SDIATE
CYPHER/CAT A
FM HONG KONG 089341Z
CONFIDENTIAL
TOP COPY
TO IMMEDIATE F.C.C TELNO.839 OF 8 JULY 78,
INFO HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON.
(84)
HKK 341/1
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY MO. 51 10 JUL 1978
DESK OFFICER
INDEX
M
PA
Ri
8'
REG #TRY
Action Ten
niles
YOUR TELNO.526 P.Q ON ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION FROM CHINA,
:
1. WE AGREE WITH YOUR PROPOSED REPLY. 1566 (1566) ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS HAVE BEEN RETURNED UP TO 30 JUNE THIS YEAR.
2. THE WRITTEN ANSWERS TO MR ROBERT PARRY ON 8 MAY (OUR TELNO.557
OF 3RD MAY) WILL COVER SUPPLEMENTARIES ON RIGHT OF APPEAL AND STATISTICS FOR LEGAL IMMIGRATION SINCE 1972 (THE LATEST 1978 FIGURE, TO 38 JUNE, IS 23,378 (23,378)). WE SUGGEST BELOW LINES TO TAKE ON OTHER POSSIBLE SUPPLEMENTARIES:
(A)
NUMBERS OF ILLEGALS ARRESTED/ALLOWED TO STAY 7: THESE FIGURES ARE NOT GENERALLY RELEASED. HOWEVER IN IMPLEMENTING POLICY FULL ACCOUNT IS TAKEN OF ANY SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES OR CASES OF GENUINE HARDSHIP (C.F WRITTEN REPLY TO MR BIGGS-DAVIDSON OF 21 JANUARY 1975),
STRICTLY FOR YOUR OWN INFORMATION, EIGHTY FIVE HAVE BEEN ALLOWED
TO STAY SINCE REPATRIATION WAS RE-INTRODUCED ON 30 NOVEMBER 1974.
(B) WHY RETURN ILLEGALS WHEN CHINA IS NOT KEEPING LEGAL IMMIGRATION TO HONG KONG TO ACCEPTABLE LEVEL ?s
ALLOWING ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS TO REMAIN WOULD ONLY INCREASE THE
TOTAL IMMIGRATION BURDEN ON HONG KONG. THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT
IS AWARE OF OUR CONCERN TO SEE A CONSIDERABLE REDUCTION IN THE PRESENT LEVEL OF OVERALL NUMBERS ENTERING HONG KONG FROM CHINA
(C) PUNISHMENT OF THOSE RETURNED :
WE UNDERSTAND THAT ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION TO HONG KONG IS
GENERALLY REGARDED IN CHINA AS A CIVIL MISDEMEANOUR AND NOT
AS A CRIMINAL OFFENCE.
/CD) WHY
CONFIDEN MAL