XN000022-1983-04-29 — Page 4

FRIDAY, APRIL 29, 1983

3

TIGHT BORDER CONTROL TO BE MAINTAINED

****

THE POLITICAL ADVISER, MR ROBIN MCLAREN, SAID TODAY THAT THERE WOULD BE NO RELAXATION OF BORDER CONTROLS ON THE HONG KONG/SHENZHEN BORDER.

HE WAS SPEAKING ON HIS RETURN THIS EVENING AFTER LEADING A TEAM OF HONG KONG OFFICIALS ON A TWO-DAY VISIT TO SHENZHEN FOR DISCUSSIONS WITH OFFICIALS THERE LED BY THE SECRETARY GENERAL OF THE SHENZHEN MUNICIPALITY, MR ZHEN XIPEI.

THE MAIN PURPOSE OF THE VISIT WAS TO REVIEW THE WORK OF THE JOINT WORKING GROUPS SET UP UNDER THE AGREEMENT BETWEEN SHENZHEN AND HONG KONG, SIGNED ON APRIL 30, 1982, TO OPEN UP NEW CROSS BORDER LINKS.

THE WORKING GROUPS COVER LAND TRAFFIC LINKS (NEW BRIDGES AT SHA TAU KOK AND LOK MA CHAU, THE BUILDING OF A SECOND BRIDGE AT MAN KAM TO AND THE REDEVELOPMENT OF THE TWO RAILWAY STATIONS AT LOWU AND SHENZHEN), MARINE LINKS, BORDER CONTROLS AND ENVIRONMENTAL QUESTIONS, IN PARTICULAR POLLUTION AND FLOOD CONTROL IN THE SHENZHEN RIVER.

MR MCLAREN SAID IT WAS AGREED THAT GOOD PROGRESS HAD BEEN MADE BY THE WORKING GROUPS LOOKING AT FUTURE PROJECTS AND THAT THERE HAD ALSO BEEN EXCELLENT CO-OPERATION IN DEALING WITH CURRENT QUESTIONS, SUCH AS FACILITATING PASSENGER TRAFFIC AT LOWU AT PEAK TIMES.

TODAY THE HONG KONG TEAM TOURED THE WESTERN PART OF THE SPECIAL ECONOMIC ZONE, VISITING THE SPECIAL INDUSTRIAL ZONE AT SHEKOU, THE PORT AREA AT CHI WAN AND TWO DEVELOPING RESORT COMPLEXES (THE XILI LAKE RESORT AND XIANGMI (HONEY) LAKE COUNTRY CLUB). THEY ALSO HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO VISIT A NEW CONTROL POST ON THE NORTHERN BORDER OF THE SPECIAL ECONOMIC ZONE AT NAN TOU ON THE MAIN SHENZHEN-CANTON ROAD.

+THE HONG KONG TEAM UNDERSTOOD THAT THE COMPLETION OF THIS 'SECOND LINE WOULD PERMIT A SIMPLIFICATION OF CUSTOMS PROCEDURES IN SHENZHEN WHICH WOULD BENEFIT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT THERE, MR MCLAREN SAID. HE ADDED THAT IT MIGHT HAVE THE INCIDENTAL EFFECT OF MAKING IT EVEN MORE DIFFICULT FOR ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS TO ENTER HONG KONG THROUGH SHENZHEN.

+THIS SUCCESSFUL VISIT IS A FURTHER DEMONSTRATION OF THE IMPORTANCE WHICH BOTH SIDES ATTACHED TO MAINTAINING AN INTENSIFYING PRACTICAL CO-OPERATION, HE POINTED OUT.

A FURTHER BORDER REVIEW MEETING WOULD BE HELD IN HONG KONG IN SIX MONTHS TIME.

/4