SECRET
$uill
#THES
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY NO. 51
67200
本署檔號 OUR REF
: SCR 2.4 APR 1980
CISTRY
Q
來函檔號 Your REF:
DECK
RD Clift Esgl
Taken
AW 2414
Hong Kong & General Department F CO
GOVERNMENT SECRETARIAT
LOWER ALBERT ROAD
HONG KONG
14 April, 1980
Jiscussed awid the Clift and
Mr Mowice, ufa pro
км, вс
michi Intruct to be Blaker when
we are
ра
formally consulted - para 5
Jvidiam
14.4.80
TIA
Year ficte,
IMMIGRATION
See
83A
As you will know, both from your visit here and from e.g. Hong Kong telegram No.188 of 1 February, we have been conducting a review about policy towards immigration from China and, in particular, the question of whether or not to change the existing policy of allowing those illegal immigrants who "reach base" to remain.
2.
We have now discussed this whole question in the Governor's Security Committee. We have come to the preliminary conclusion that, despite the obvious and well-known disadvantages of changing the established "reached base" policy, the continuation of illegal immigration and its likely upward trend during this year is now the greater danger and that there is a case for changing policy which should be put to Ex Co. There is still a good deal of detailed work to be done on the practical questions of precisely how to make the change, what resources will be needed to enforce a new policy and what the penalties involved would be. The key elements will have to be the compulsory carrying of identity cards and making it an offence to employ somebody who does not have one.
3.
Any change of policy will of course have to be approved first by the Executive Council. It will also require new legislation and therefore discussion in the Legislative Council. Present plans are to produce a new and carefully considered paper on the subject in two weeks and to take the matter to the Executive Council as soon as possible thereafter.
Our present thinking is that we should, for the moment, deal only with illegal immigrants who evade arrest. The problem of those who come here legally and then remain after the expiry of their Chinese "two-way" travel documents will be left until later. For the moment those who come here legally as "visitors" will not initially be given identity cards
4.
/contd..
SECRET