GPS 215
CONFIDENTIAL
213
CONFIDENTIAL
DESKBY FCO 290900Z
FM HONG KONG 290343Z OCT 79
HKK 341/1
RECEIVED IN REGACY NO. 51 29.907 1879
TO IMMEDIATE FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE
TELNO.1517 OF 29 OCTOBER,
INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING.
1.
DESK OFFICER
INDEX
No
MY TELNO.1516 : IMMIGRATION FROM CHINA.
212
PA
L
A
ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION ARRESTS HAVE AGAIN INCREASED SHARPLY.. DURING THE 24 HOUR PERICD TO 0622 TODAY SECURITY FORCES ARRESTED 684 ILLEGALS. THE FIGURE FOR THE PREVIOUS DAY WAS 510. THAT MAKES APPROXIMATELY 2,300 ARRESTED IN FOUR DAYS, OR 9,500 SO FAR
THIS MONTH.
AN
215
22.0
2. THE MAIN FLOW OF ARRIVALS DURING THE PAST TWO DAYS HAS COME FROM THE WEST (THE PEARL RIVER) RATHER THAN THE EAST (AS IN THE PERIOD REFERRED TO IN MY TEL UNDER REF). GOOD SEA CONDITIONS HAVE PROBABLY ENCOURAGED ILLEGALS TO MAKE THE ATTEMPT. ADDITIONAL FACTOR COULD BE THAT TODAY IS A PUBLIC HOLIDAY (CHUNG
YANG FESTIVAL) AND POTENTIAL ILLEGALS MAY HOPE THAT OUR GUARD WILL
BE LOWEREDD. WHATEVER THE REASON FOR THE EXODUS, THE LARGE NUMBERS INVOLVED SHOW THAT THE CHINESE SECURITY FORCES LACK EITHER THE WILL OR THE ABILITY TO EXERCISE SUFFICIENT CONTROL.
3. THE LATEST FIGURES, AND SUCH DETAILS AS WE HAVE OF POINTS OF
DEPARTURE, HAVE BEEN PASSED LOCALLY TO NCNA. WE SUGGEST THAT THESE REPRESENTATIONS SHOULD NOW BE REINFORMCED BY AN APPRO ACH IN PEKING. IF THE PRIME MINISTER RAISES THIS PROBLEM WITH HUA TODAY THE EMBASSY MIGHT TOMORROW FOLLOW-UP WHATEVER IS SAID WITH DETAILS OF THE LATEST FIGURES AND A REQUEST THAT URGENT ACTION
BE TAKEN TO STEM THE FLOOD.
MACLEHOSE
FILES
HK & GD
FED
COPIES TO:
HONG KONG GOVT OFFICE LONDON
SEAD
UND
PS/MR RIDLEY
MR CORTAZZI MR MURRAY
CONFIDENTIAL