CO129-604-6 Immigration- control over entry from China 1-1-1947 - 4-1-1950 — Page 11

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only points they made were as follows:

(a)

they rather doubted whether in fact

substantial numbers of Chinese would come to Hong Kong when sea communications with the North were restored and in any case the proposed first stage of control would be too easily circumvented by going to Canton or Macao first, to be effective.

(b) they doubted whether the imposition of

visa requirements by the Hong Kong Government would influence the Communist authorities towards recognition of our Consuls, particularly as the Communists would presumably not be anxious to facilitate the exit of persons who were leaving because they did not like the new regime.

(c) it is likely that the Chinese Communists will denounce the imposition of Chinese immigration control as yet another instance of repression by the Hong Kong Government.

I am sure that the Governor will have considered all these factors carefully before proposing to take the first steps toward complete Chinese immigration control and we must I think accept his judgment that action, at least to the extent proposed in paragraph 2 (a) of (22), is now necessary. The Governor recognises that this is only the thin end of the wedge and can be easily circumvented but as he says a start must be made and this will pave the way for stages (b) and (c).

In assessing the need for control, it may be recalled that at (12) on 54064/1, the Governor reported that the Colony could absorb a further 150,000 before resources would be strained to the utmost. Since then the population has risen by approximately 20,000, despite the Nationalist blockade, and the weekly rate of increase now shows signs of stepping up. (In the week ended 17th August the increase of population was over 6,000).

7. It would have been useful if the Governor had indicated whether he had discussed this question with General Festing, (as I imagine he probably did), and also what practical steps are proposed if it becomes necessary to apply stages (b) and (c). E.g. whether the land frontier would be closed, how arrivals by train would be controlled and what check would be kept on the movement of junks and small craft. These are points which I have incorporated in the draft reply to (22) opposite which otherwise expresses general agreement with the action proposed. This draft will need to be cleared with the Foreign Office and I pass through Mr. Peck for any comments he may have on the legal aspects of this question.

(dictated by) RE. Radford

25.8.49.