CONFIDEN MAL
NFIDENTIAL
EKING 250730Z JAN 79
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELNO 111 OF 25 JAN
INFO HONG KONG
НКК
341/1
ALVOLVED IN REL SMY CO. 51 30 JAN1979
INDEX
ג'ז
IMMIGRATION,
No
1. WHEN SEEING ASSISTANT FOREIGN MINISTER SONG ON 24 JANUARY I RAISED THE QUESTION OF IMMIGRATION, POINTING OUT THAT ALTHOUGH THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE ENTERING HONG KONG WITHOUT ONWARD VISAS BUT CLAIMING THEY WISHED TO GO TO THE PHILIPPINES REMAINED LOW, OTHER IMMIGRATION REMAINED AT A CONSTANT HIGH LEVEL (AVERAGE 226 PER DAY WITHOUT VISAS SO FAR IN JANUARY), WE WERE APPRECIATIVE OF CHINESE EFFORTS OVER THOSE OSTENSIBLY GOING TO THE PHILIPPINES, BUT THE SITUATION WAS STILL VERY SERIOUS AND MUCH MORE RESTRAINT WAS NEEDED ON OTHER CATEGORIES OF TRAVELLER TO HONG KONG.
2 SONG SAID THE SITUATION WAS COMPLICATED BUT THEY WOULD DO THEIR BEST. HE RAISED AGAIN THE POSSIBILITY OF THE HONG KONG AUTHORITIES SENDING IMMIGRANTS BACK ONCE THEIR PERMITS HAD EXPIRED.
¦ EXPLAINED THE GREAT POLITICAL DIFFICULTIES IN HONG KONG OF PLUCKING PEOPLE OUT FROM THEIR HOMES IN THIS WAY. ONLY REAL SOLUTION WAS TO CHECK THE FLOW AT SOURCE,
THE
CRADOCK
RIKES
HRC.D (6)
PED
MYO
AUSO
040
SBAD
+
MURRAY
MR FIGC
CONFIDENTIAL