GRS 560
CO
DENTIAL
FM HONG KONG 211050Z DEC 78
TO IMMEDIATE PEKING
CONFIDENEY AL
TELEGRAM NUMBER 251 OF 21 DECEMBER
INFO IMMEDIATE F C O
INFO PRIORITY UKMIS GENEVA, WASHINGTON
HRIS RECAVLO
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INFO ROUTINE KUALA LUMPUR, HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON
INFO SAVING HANOI.
RY
en
YOUR TELNO 917 TO FCO (NOT TO ALL): ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS ORIGINALLY
FROM VIETNAM.
การ
WE ARE INCREASINGLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE LACK OF A DEFINITIVE
CHINESE RESPONSE TO YOUR REPRESENTATIONS ON THESE CASES. WITH MORE RECENT ARRIVALS THERE ARE NOW 563 PEOPLE UNDER DETENTION WHO HAVE REACHED HERE BY BOAT FROM CHINA. A FURTHER GROUP OF 171 IS UNDER INVESTIGATION. THERE ARE ALSO THE TWO WHO CROSSED AT LOWU ON CHINESE PASSPORTS (YOUR PARA 4) AND WHO ARE STILL BEING HELD PENDING A DECISION BY THE CHINESE.
2. THE PROBLEMS OF KEEPING SUCH NUMBERS UNDER CONTINUED DETENTION ARE CONSIDERABLE. THERE HAS ALREADY BEEN ONE UGLY INCIDENT AT THE TONG FUK DETENTION CENTRE ON 15 DECEMBER IN WHICH
PRISON OFFICIALS WERE ATTACKED. THIS WAS GIVEN CONSIDERABLE COVERAGE IN THE PRESS, INCLUDING LEFT-WING PAPERS.
''
3. WE MUST RELY ON YOUR JUDGEMENT ON HOW BEST TO GET AN EARLY
RESPONSE FROM THE CHINESE. IF THE CHINESE SUGGEST THAT LAND-CROSSERS ARE ''ISOLATED OCCURRENCES (PARA 5 OF MY TELNO
NOT TO ALL), YOU COULD TELL THEM THAT OF THE 563, 17SA)-1446 TO FCO
463 WENT TO CHINA BY SEA AND 100 CROSSED THE LAND BORDER. PLEASE, HOWEVER, EMPHASISE THAT WE DO NOT REGARD THE MODE OF
ENTRY TO CHINA AS DETERMINING WHETHER OR NOT THEY ARE ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS IN OUR TERMS. THE IMPORTANT POINT IS WHETHER OR NOT THEY HAVE BEEN SETTLED IN CHINA BEFORE COMING ON.
4. WE HAVE RECENTLY LEARNT THAT A NUMBER OF SIMILAR GROUPS HAVE ARRIVED IN MACAU. SO FAR THE MACAU AUTHORITIES HAVE MADE LITTLE ATTEMPT TO COLLECT EVIDENCE CONCERNING THEIR STAY IN CHINA
NOR HAVE THEY RAISED SUCH CASES WITH THE CHINESE. HOWEVER, WE
CONFIDENTIAL
/SHALL
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