GR 320
CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
AKKзK COPY
Location
7.
13 MAR 1979
43
FM HONG KONG 1011472
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELEGRAM NUMBER 351 OF 10 MARCH 1979
по
£22.3
See
INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING AND ROUTINE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT
OFFICE LONDON.
REINFORCEMENT.
1. SINCE THE DEFENCE COSTS AGREEMENT CAME INTO EFFECT IN 1976
THE MAIN OPERATIONAL ROLE OF THE ARMY AND NAVY HERE HAS BEEN TO
SUPPORT THE POLICE IN DEALING WITH ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION FROM CHINA. THE SITUATION HAS NOW CHANGED IN A NUMBER OF WAYS. I HAVE BEEN
CONSIDERING WHETHER THE EXISTING FORCES HERE ARE LIKELY TO PROVE
ADEQUATE IN THE NEW CIRCUMSTANCES.
2. THERE HAS BEEN A SHARP INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF ILLEGAL
IMMIGRANTS APPREHENDED: THE TOTAL FOR THE WHOLE OF 1978 WAS
8,122 BUT IN THE FIRST TWO MONTHS OF 1979 ALONE IT AMOUNTED TO
4,318. BETTER WEATHER, FEWER CHINESE REGULAR TROOPS ON PATROL AND
THE GENERAL RELAXATION OF CONTROL OVER MOVEMENT IN CHINA WILL
ALMOST CERTAINLY RESULT IN EVEN HIGHER FIGURES IN THE COMING
WEEKS.
3. THE RATE OF LEGAL IMMIGRATION IS ALSO CLIMBING RAPIDLY, DAILY
AVERAGE FIGURES HAVING RISEN FROM 67 IN 1977 TO 266 IN THE FIRST
TWO MONTHS OF 1979. YOU ARE AWARE OF OUR FIRM INTENTION TO REDUCE
THIS INFLUX DRASTICALLY IN ABOUT TWO MONTHS' TIME. A SECONDARY
EFFECT OF THIS, HOWEVER, WILL BE TO SWELL THE NUMBER OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS EVEN FURTHER.
CONFIDENTIAL
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