HOFO 016/12
RR MANILA
GPS 200
HKA 341/3-
*T NO.
Mi
NO
2/3
AP2
Mm. Willingham Jr.
✔
Dr Clift.
LARG D
NO DISTRON
THIS TELEGRAM WAS NOT ADVANCED
REPLETION ONLY
See ©
RESTRICTED
FM HONG KONG 120510Z FEB 82
TO ROUTINE MANILA
TELEGRAM NUMBER 5 OF 12 FEBRUARY
FOR DR D CARTER FROM DIRECTOR OF IMMIGRATION.
GLORIA KIM ONG
KIM ÔNG
YOUR TELELETTER OF 8 FEBRUARY: WE WOULD VERY MUCH LIKE TO HELP, BUT FROM THE INFORMATION AVAILABLE TO US MISS ONG'S CASE APPEARS TO BE WELL OUTSIDE THE DISCRETIONARY MARGIN OF OUR POLICY FOR THE ADMISSION OF ALIENS FOR EMPLOYMENT. OUR POLICY, WHICH IS BROADLY SIMILAR TO THAT OF THE UK, REQUIRES A WORKER FROM OVERSEAS TO POSSESS SOME SKILL NOT READILY AVAILABLE LOCALLY.
2. MISS ONG APPEARS TO BE AN OFFICE EMPLOYEE OF LIMITED WORKING EXPERIENCE, WITH THE ABILITY TO SPEAK ENGLISH, TAGALOG AND CHINESE. SUCH SKILLS ARE NOT IN SHORT SUPPLY HERE. THAT MISS ONG HAS EXPRESSED CONCERN THAT WELLA MAY FILL HER VACANCY ELSEWHERE SUPPORTS OUR BELIEF THAT THE POST COULD BE FILLED LOCALLY WITHOUT
MUCH DIFFICULTY.
3. BECAUSE OF OUR STRICT POLICY ON IMMIGRATION FROM CHINA OUR COMPARATIVELY LIBERAL POLICY TOWARDS THE ENTRY OF CHINESE (PARTICULARLY STATELESS CHINESE) FROM SOUTHEAST ASIA IS ALREADY CONTROVERSIAL AND HAS BEEN QUESTIONED FROM TIME TO TIME BOTH BY CHINESE OFFICIALS AND BY UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS OF THE EXECUTIVE AND LEGISLATIVE COUNCILS. IN THESE CIRCUMSTANCES IT WOULD BE DIFFICULT FOR US TO DEFEND THE ADMISSION OF MISS ONG, UNLESS THERE ARE OTHER FACTORS OF WHICH WE ARE NOT YET AWARE
MACLEHOSE