GR 590
CONFIDENTIAL
22.3
HKIC 3411
LOP COPY
CONFIDENTIALVED IN REGISTRY NO. 51.
30 OCT 1980
DESK OFFICER
INDEX
REGISTRY Action Takan
DESKBY FCO 291200Z
FM HONG KONG 291051Z OCT 89
TO IMMEDIATE F C O
TELEGRAM NUMBER 1426 OF 29 OCTOBER
PA
Mo
of 34
30.00
AN
see
233
INFO PRIORITY HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON
INFO ROUTINE PEKING, NEW DELHI.
221
OUR TELNO 1408 (NOT TO ALL) : ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION (OPERATION CHAMPION)
EXCEPT IN ONE AREA (SEE BELOW), THE IMPLEMENTATION OF CHAMPION IS PROCEEDING SMOOTHLY. THE NEW POLICY CONTINUES TO ENJOY GENERAL SUPPORT. THERE IS EVERY INDICATION THAT THE POPULATION AND THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY ARE MAKING READY TO COMPLY WITH THE NEW MEASURES
WHEN THEY CAME INTO OPERATION ON 28 OCTOBER AND 3 NOVEMBER.
1
-
2. THE NUMBERS OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS ARRESTED ON ENTRY HAVE FALLEN SHARPLY. DAILY TOTALS FOR THE LAST THREE DAYS HAVE BEEN 287, 144 AND 43 AS COMPARED WITH A DAILY AVERAGE FOR THE PERIOD
23 OCTOBER OF 399). WE BELIEVE THERE IS INCREASED ACTIVITY ON THE CHINESE SIDE OF THE BORDER BUT IT IS TOO EARLY TO SAY
WHETHER THE DROP IN NUMBERS IS THE RESULT OF CHINESE COUNTER- MEASURES, THE DETERRENT EFFECT OF OUR NEW POLICY OR BOTH. NOR, OF COURSE, CAN YET ASSUME THAT THE TREND WILL LAST.
3. THE ONE ASPECT OF OUR POLICY WHICH WE HAVE HAD TO LOOK AT AGAIN IS THAT REFERRED TO IN PARA 3 OF MY TUR I.E. THE POSITION OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS AND OVERSTAYERS FROM PLACES OTHER THAN CHINA, PARTICULARLY MACAU (THE MAJORITY OF THE LATTER ARE MACAU BELONGERS).
4. THERE HAS BEEN INCREASING PROTEST ON THE PART OF THOSE AFFECTED AGAINST THE DECISION NOT TO ALLOW THEM TO REMAIN EVEN IF THEY WERE HERE ON 23 OCTOBER. THIS HAS ATTRACTED SOME SUPPORT FROM THE PRESS. THEY COMPLAIN THAT THEY ARE BEING TREATED DIFFERENCTLY FROM THOSE FROM CHINA. THIS IS TRUE, BUT THEY HAVE ALWAYS BEEN TREATED DIFFERENTLY: WHETHER THEY HAD REACHED BASE OR NOT, SUCH ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS HAVE ALWAYS BEEN REMOVED (SUBJECT TO HUMANITARIAN CONSIDERATIONS) WHEN DETECTED. THEIR SITUATION HAS HOWEVER CHANGED IN THAT, BEING UNABLE TO REGISTER FOR AN IDENTITY CARD, THEY ARE FAR MORE LIABLE TO DETECTION AND THEY ARE UNABLE TO KEEP THEIR JOBS.
CONFIDENTIAL
/ 5. YESTERDAY