BY BAG
SCR 3/2091/79
CO Hum Esq PEKING
i) Mr
iil p.a.
HKK 3H√]
Quastrill
10871
January 1979
NO. 1
3A
BLSK
INDEX
PA
ᄏ
|
Aw"//
11
IMMIGRATION FROM CHINA
In the course of a meeting yesterday on other matters with Tan Gan of the NCM, I gave him the detailed daily immigration figures for December (not enclosed), a breakdown of the Chinese exit permits for December (enclosed), and the full table for 1979 showing monthly arrivals and departures at Low of travellers on both Chinese and Hong Kong travel documents.
2,
In talking about illegal immigration (on which you have seen separate telegrams) I expressed cautious optimism that the latest reduction in arrests meant that the problem might quickly be brought under control again, es in July last your. I reminded Tan that even if the figures came down repidly for a month or two bath sides would have to be far more careful than in the past about warning signs of a resurgence, I mentioned the difficulties f justifying reinforcements to the garrison when levels were low with the concomitant problem of the time taken to bring in now reinforcements. I also emphasised that the anti-illegal immigration duties meant that soldiers were forced to neglect essential training in skills appropriate to their primary role as a defence against the Soviet Union, I added that similar considerations applied no doubt to security forces on the Chinese side, but that they perhaps faced fewer difficulties
Tan noted in increasing deployments quickly in response to a resurgence. these points sympathetically and showed considerable interest in the cost to Hong Kong of reinforcements to the garrison. This was followed by a useful excursion on the lessons we have learned from Soviet behaviour in Afghanistan which in turn led to some discussion about the dangers of Soviet subversion in Hong Kong and agreement that Hong Kong did not provide fertile ground for trouble-making,
3.
On legal immigration I told Ten that we were very disappointed thes the figures remained so high. The daily average of 159 in December was slight increase on November (183) and skectly the same as July. For 6 sonths, and despite a variety of assurances that action was being taken on
I told legal as well as illegal imdigration, there had been no improvement, Tan that we were conducting an exercise which we hoped to complete in the next 2 or 3 weeks, to show the immediate and projected future costs to Hong Kong of the huge influx from China over the past 2 years. The initial figures I had seen showed for instance an increase in 1979 over 1978 of 30% in travel by public transport and in other areas like medical and educational facilities; the result would also be disturbing. We were not trying to produce en alarmist picture. It simply was a fact that such a large urplanned influx