064/1/49
Cypher (0.T.P.)
TO HONG KONG (Sir A. Grantham)
Sent 1st June, 1949.
08.00 hrs.
9.
No.652 Secret.
16
Your telegram No.514, paragraph 4.
Chinese refugees.
Ministers have noted with concern steadily mounting influx of refugees into Hong Kong, and have expressed anxiety as to increasing danger of Communist infiltration and effect on ability of Hong Kong to cope with situation if further substantial increases incur.
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I know of course that you have these matters constantly in mind and I am aware of your plans for closing the frontier in certain circumstances, and the proposed introduction of a registration system to enable movements of individuals to be checked and closer control exercised (your recent telegram to Deputy Commissioner- General Colonial Affairs, Singapore, repeated to me in his telegram No.151, refers).
3.
But to enable me to answer enquiries hers I should be grateful for an overall appreciation of the Chinese refugee position and, in particular, to learn what you consider, in round figures, absorption limit for refugees 1s, and how soon you consider this figure is likely to be reached, making closure of the froutier necessary.
I realise that you can only give rough estimates, but these will be very useful.
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