CONFIDENTIAL
2
(c) depending on how strongly the Governor feels, there might be
mileage in suggesting to the Chinese an agreed system of legal
immigration control, involving more detailed discussion of the
rate of flow between the Hong Kong and Chinese authorities.
(iii) Illegal Immigration from China
3. The policy of repatriating illegal immigrants detained at the
frontier was introduced in 1974, and again proved an effective deter-
rent until 1978, when numbers began to rise rapidly.
It is estimated
that about 30,000 illegal immigrants succeeded in evading capture and
entering Hong Kong in 1978. In 1979 the figures was about 115,000.
The exact causes of this upsurge are not known, but it is believed
that greater freedom of movement within China, the over-glamorised
view of life in Hong Kong received by many people in Southern China
on the radio and TV sets brought by relatives on visits from Hong
Kong, and the incentive of the large numbers who have succeeded in
entering Hong Kong have all contributed.
This
In
4. The Chinese share our concern to stop illegal immigration.
July last year they introduced new controls that led to an abrupt
drop in numbers. But the effectiveness proved short lived, and by
December the numbers were back up to their highest level in recent
years (an average of over 500 arrests a day in December).
problem was raised with Chairman Hua during his visit in November,
when he gave a categorical assurance that effective steps would be
taken to control the influx. There are indications that the high
numbers in December may have been a last surge before the promised
new measures come into effect on 1 January. Certainly in the last
few days there has been a considerable drop, though it is too soon
to be sure that this is more than a temporary phenomenon.
AVANEST TALMINLAT
15.