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ESSENTIAL FACTS
(Can be used freely)
Immigration fron China
1.
Two types of Chinese immigration into Hong Kong:-
a) Legal (those with Chinese exit documents).
Hong Kong Government impose no controls on numbers
because Chinese consider that their nationals have
right of free entry into Hong Kong.
b) Illegal (those who leave China without permission).
By agreement with the Chinese, Hong Kong Government
return to China all those caught trying to enter Hong
Kong. Those who evade capture and go to ground allowed
to stay when they eventually surface. Formerly only
about 20% of all illegal crossers caught; now about 40%.
2. For several years before 1978 immigration from China was
roughly in balance with emigration to third countries.
Substantial increase in 1978 when combined total of legal and
illegal immigrants about 100,000. This largely due to more
liberal climate in China.
3. Further deterioration in 1979: over 60,000 legals and
about 100,000 illegals have had to be absorbed by Hong Kong
so far this year. Diplomatic representations and British
Government's decision to reinforce Hong Kong Garrison led Chinese
to impose effective control measures on illegals in July,
reducing the flow to a trickle. But improvement was shortlived.
Total number of arrests has increased each month since August,
and situation now back to what it was in peak months of May
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