GR 2110
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FM HONG KONG 210900Z oct
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HICK 341
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY NO.
2 2 OCT 1980
DESK OFFICER.
51
REGISTRY
TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG SUVERIMMENT OFFICE LONDON TELEGRAM NUMBER 1173 OF 21NOFTOBER 1900-
Action Taken,
INFO PRIORITY FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE.
J2210 Ah
OP COPY
INFORMATION PAPER ENTITLED "BACKGROUND TO THE PROBLEM OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION FROM CHINA INTO HONG KONG''.
AS PROMISED HERE ARE:-
(A) THE TWO OPENING SECTIONS (THE SECOND BEING AN AMENDED VERSION OF THE SECTION HEADED A PROBLEM OF PEOPLE'')
AND
see (214
(B) THE AMENDMENTS TO THE PORTION YOU HAVE ALREADY FROM PAGE 3
ON.
GRATEFUL IF YOU WOULD AGAIN PASS TO THE F.C.0. 500 PRINTED COPIES WILL COME IN THE BAG.
IMMIGRATION HONG KONG'S PERENNIAL PROBLEM
ON 23 OCTOBER, 1980 THE HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TOOK WHAT SOME HAVE CALLED THE DRAMATIC STEP OF PASSING LAWS TO ENABLE MORE EFFECTIVE CONTROL OF IMMIGRATION FROM CHINA INTO HONG KONG.
THE NEW LEGISLATION PROVIDES FOR THE REPATRIATION OF ALL IMMIGRANTS ENTERING HONG KONG FROM CHINA ILLEGALLY AFTER 23 OCTOBER 1980. ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS FROM CHINA ALREADY IN HONG KONG WHO HAD NOT UNTIL THEN REGISTERED AND APPLIED FOR AN IDENTITY CARD WERE GIVEN A WIDELY ADVERTISED AND PUBLICISED PERIOD OF 3 (THREE) DAYS TO DO SO. REGISTRATION FACILITIES WERE PROVIDED ON A 24 HOUR BASIS DURING THAT PERIOD. THOSE ENTERING HONG KONG ILLEGALLY FROM CHINA AFTER 23 OCTOBER WILL BE ARRESTED AND RETURNED TO CHINA, EVEN
IF THEY HAVE ''REACHED BASE'', I,E. EVADED CAPTURE, ESTABLISHED CONTACT WITH FAMILY OR FRIENDS AND FOUND PROPER ACCOMMODATION. PREVIOUSLY, ''REACHED BASE'' IMMIGRANTS WOULD HAVE BEEN ALLOWED TO STAY.
THIS LEGISLATION DOES NOT APPLY TO THOSE WHO ENTERED HONG KONG
LEGALLY FROM CHINA.
ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS WILL NO LONGER BE ELIGIBLE FOR THE ISSUE OF IDENTITY CARDS, AND TO HELP IN THEIR DETECTION ALL PERSONS RESIDENT IN HONG KONG WILL HAVE TO CARRY PROOF OF IDENTITY AT ALL TIMES. EVERYONE AGED 15 OR OVER, WHO SHOULD BE REGISTERED UNDER THE EXISTING LEGISLATION, WILL BE REQUIRED TO CARRY EITHER HIS IDENTITY CARD OR ONE OF A SPECIFIED NUMBER OF ALTERNATIVE DO CUMENTS PROVING HIS IDENTITY, A VALID TRAVEL DOCUMENT, E.G. A PASSPORT, IS ACCEPTABLE AS PROOF OF IDENTITY.
UNDER THE NEW LEGISLATION EMPLOYERS WILL BE DEBARRED FROM EMPLOYING ANYONE WHO CANNOT PRODUCE EITHER AN IDENTITY CARD OR ONE OF THE SPECIFIED ALTERNATIVE DOCUMENTS.
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