HKA 062/2.
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO TELELETTER FCO
Minuted
Dar Burns. Ow
3 CONFIDENTIAL
Mary Williams
Yes pls, a shat
menute to Mr Bearms ad with his guiary
TELELETTER PA SCR 1/1476/92 teleletter.
OF 050455Z MARCH 92
a capy of this
613
p.a. plsR (Defence & Public
14156 Order)
MDTTAN 3975
der stone It seems that the Daily Tel. article on movement of security forces further worth to Guangdong/Shenzhen border was completch, untrue. Snd we minute Mr Burns ?
Qw
5/3
FROM: WILLIAM EHRMAN, POLITICAL ADVISER, HONG KONG.
FOR: MISS E.L. WILLIAMS, HKD, FCO.
BORDER SECURITY FORCES
구
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TELELETTER OF 2 MARCH AND FOR A COPY OF
THE ARTICLE OF 18 FEBRUARY FROM THE DAILY TELEGRAPH.
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*
2.
THERE IS NO TRUTH IN THIS ARTICLE. INDEED I WAS FOREWARNED OF IT BY CLARE HOLLINGWORTH WHO ALSO WORKS FOR THE DAILY TELEGRAPH, AND WHO SUGGESTED TO GURDON THAT HE SHOULD NOT PRINT IT. GURDON DID SPEAK TO STEPHEN BRADLEY, BUT HAS OBVIOUSLY COMPLETELY IGNORED ALL THE LATTER SAID IN TRYING TO PUT HIM
RIGHT.
3.
SHENZHEN HAS ALWAYS WANTED TO DO AWAY WITH THE BORDER WITH HONG KONG. GUANGZHOU HOWEVER HAS NEVER MUCH FAVOURED THIS AND
PEKING HAS ALWAYS BEEN OPPOSED (LU PING CONFIRMED THIS TO ME SOME
TIME AGO).
4.
NOW HOWEVER PEKING'S LINE HAS BEEN ACCEPTED BY SHENZHEN. ON
27 FEBRUARY I COPIED TO PETER RICKETTS A REPORT BY THE CENTRAL
POLICY UNIT WHICH QUOTED THE DEPUTY HEAD OF SHENZHEN'S OFFICE FOR POPULATION MANAGEMENT, ON A RECENT VISIT TO HONG KONG, TO THE EFFECT THAT SHENZHEN HAD NO INTENTION OF OPENING UP 'THE FIRST LINE' (I.E. THE LINE BETWEEN HONG KONG AND SHENZHEN). SHENZHEN'S
FIRST REQUIREMENT WAS TO ENFORCE STRICTER CONTROL ON THE POPULATION FLOW INTO THE MUNICIPALITY. FOR THAT REASON, THEY WANTED TO LEARN FROM HONG KONG ABOUT METHODS WHICH WE EMPLOY TO
RESTRICT THE IMPORT OF LABOUR AND TO GET RID OF OVERSTAYERS AND
ILLEGALS. SPECIFICALLY THEY WANTED INFORMATION ON OUR ID CARD SYSTEM, THE PROCEDURES AND POWERS OF THE POLICE, IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT AND LABOUR DEPARTMENT, AND PENALTIES INCURRED BY FIRMS EMPLOYING ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS.
IT IS POSSIBLE THAT, FOLLOWING A LARGE INFLUX OF PEOPLE FROM THE NORTH INTO GUANGDONG IN THE IMMEDIATE AFTERMATH OF CHINESE
5.
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CONFIDENTIAL