CONFILENTIAL
Background and Current Position
2. Legal Immigration
Until last year, legal immigrants were arriving at a rate that
just about balanced normal emigration from liong Kong 50 to 70 a
day. In 1978, the figures rose sharply, to over 300 a day in
December.
70,000 legal immigrants entered llong Kong from China in
the whole of 1978. Since January the rate has been dropping
steadily, but at over 150 a day in May is still unacceptably high.
36,000 legal immigrants entered in the first five months of the year.
3. Illegal Immigration
The policy of repatriating illegal immigrants was reintroduced
(it had also been used before 1967) in 1974. Together with measures
taken by the Chinese on their side of the border, it was effective
in keeping down the numbers to insignificant levels until 1978.
Greater freedom of movement in China then led to a sharp increase:
over 8,000 illegal immigrants were repatriated, and probably about
30,000 succeeded in entering long long. In 1979 the situation has
become much worse: 36,000 were repatriated in January to May, with
more arrested each month. There is some evidence that the detection
ratio has improved, but it is still probable that at least 80,000
have succeeded in entering Hong Kong this year.
Measures Taken to Deal with the Problem
4.
Representations to the Chinese Government
Diplomatic representations have been made to the Chinese authori-
ties in London, Hong Kong and Peking. The Chinese have repeatedly
promised to take steps to reduce the flow and have claimed credit
for the steady decrease in legal immigrants this year.
But they
have so far failed to take effective measures to deal with illegal
departures.
NJUNKT