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THURSDAY, OCTOBER, 23, 1980
HOWEVER, IN THE MEANTIME, ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS FROM CHINA
ALREADY IN HONG KONG WHO HAVE NOT YET REGISTERED AND APPLIED FOR AN IDENTITY CARD WILL HAVE UNTIL SUNDAY, OCTOBER 26 TO DO SO. IF THEY DO NOT REGISTER DURING THIS PERIOD, THEY WILL BE LIABLE TO REPATRIATION.
A SPECIAL REGISTRATION CENTRE HAS BEEN SET UP AT VICTORIA BARRACKS AND WILL REMAIN OPEN CONTINUOUSLY FROM 10 PM THIS (THURSDAY) EVENING UNTIL MIDNIGHT ON SUNDAY (OCTOBER 26).
A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN STRESSED THAT SECURITY PATROLS ALONG THE BORDER AND IN THE MORE REMOTE AREAS OF THE NEW TERRITORIES WERE FULLY PREPARED TO PREVENT ANY ADDITIONAL INFLUX OF ILLEGAL
IMMIGRANTS,
COMMENTING ON THE NEW MEASURES, THE SPOKESMAN SAID THESE STRONGER MEASURES WERE NECESSARY IN THE FACE OF THE CONTINUING INFLUX AND THE STRONG THREAT THAT SUCH A HIGH LEVEL OF IMMIGRATION POSED TO HONG KONG'S WELLBEING.
+DESPITE STRENUOUS EFFORTS BY THE SECURITY FORCES, AN ESTIMATED 68 000 PERSONS ENTERED HONG KONG ILLEGALLY FROM CHINA SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR AND HAVE REMAINED HERE. THIS WAS ON TOP OF THE ESTIMATED 110 000 WHO CAME IN AND STAYED LAST YEAR.
+HONG KONG SIMPLY CANNOT GO ON ABSORBING SUCH HUGE NUMBERS OF PEOPLE WITHOUT SERIOUSLY IMPAIRING THE WELLBEING OF ITS OWN CITIZENS.
+THE EFFECT ON THE STANDARDS OF EXISTING SERVICES HAS BECOME EVIDENT, AND FURTHER STRAINS WOULD REVERSE STANDARDS SO CAREFULLY BUILT UP OVER THE YEARS.+
+THIS CANNOT BE ALLOWED TO HAPPEN, THE SPOKESMAN SAID, +AND SO WE HAVE NOW ABANDONED THE SO-CALLED 'REACHED BASE' POLICY. UNDER THAT POLICY THOSE WHO EVADED CAPTURE AND ESTABLISHED CONTACT WITH FAMILY OR FRIENDS AND OBTAINED PROPER ACCOMMODATION WERE ALLOWED TO STAY AND TO REGISTER FOR AN ID CARD.
+UNDER THE NEW POLICY THE ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO STAY, HE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO REGISTER FOR AN IDENTITY CARD, AND HE WILL BE RETURNED TO CHINA.
+FURTHER, AN ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT WILL NOT BE ABLE TO GAIN LAWFUL EMPLOYMENT IN HONG KONG WITHOUT AN IDENTITY CARD, HE SAID.
AS FROM OCTOBER 28, EMPLOYERS WILL BE REQUIRED BY LAW TO INSPECT THE IDENTITY CARD OF ANY NEW APPLICANT BEFORE OFFERING EMPLOYMENT.
/EMPLOYERS WHO.....