A
2
-3-
of the Police at the end of 1977.
The Hong Kong economy has
made a good recovery from the recession in the mid-1970s and
has sustained high growth rates in the last few years. There
have recently been problems of over-heating; corrective measures
were taken in the recent budget.
Current Issues
(a) Immigration from China
8.
Over 100,000 people came to Hong Kong from China legally
and illegally in 1978. The Hong Kong Government return to China
illegal immigrants who are arrested on the border, though each
case is considered on its merits and where there are special
humanitarian or other reasons particular individuals may be
allowed to stay. Those who reach the urban areas are allowed to
remain. The influx has continued at an even higher rate in 1979.
The Chinese Government have responded helpfully to representations
about this problem but have genuine difficulties in controlling
the numbers.
(b) Vietnamese Refugees
9.
Refugees from Vietnam are arriving in Hong Kong much faster
than they can be resettled. There are now some 18,000 Vietnamese
refugees in Hong Kong; over 14,000 of them arrived this year.
We have urged the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
and potential recipient countries to speed up resettlement.
have also agreed to take an extra 1,000 refugees from Hong Kong
for resettlement in Britain.
Future Issues
We
10. A separate paper setting out some of the considerations
likely to affect policy towards Hong Kong over the next few years
will be submitted separately.
Hong Kong and General Department
Foreign and Commonwealth Office 25 April 1979