XN000022-1986-01-22 — Page 21

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 22, 1986

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+WE ARE CONFIDENT THAT THEIR PROSPECTS FOR RETURNING TO HONG KONG IN DUE COURSE ARE GOOD, HE SAID.

AS FOR HOW LONG IT WOULD TAKE FOR EACH OF THE BOAT BRIDES TO BE RETURNED TO HONG KONG, MR THOMAS SAID THAT WAS A MATTER FOR THE APPROPRIATE AUTHORITIES IN CHINA.

+ IN ACCORDANCE WITH EXISTING POLICY, WIVES IN CHINA OF HONG KONG RESIDENTS MAY BE ADMITTED FOR SETTLEMENT IN HONG KONG ONLY IF THE APPROPRIATE AUTHORITIES IN CHINA ISSUE THEM WITH ONE-WAY EXIT PERMITS,+ HE SAID.

HE SAID 13 BOAT BRIDES RETURNED VOLUNTARILY TO CHINA IN AUGUST 1985 FOLLOWING THE GOVERNMENT'S REJECTION OF THEIR PETITION FOR PERMISSION TO STAY. A 14TH BOAT BRIDE WAS ALLOWED TO REMAIN TO GIVE BIRTH IN HONG KONG BUT LEFT FOR CHINA IN OCTOBER 1985.

+OF THESE 14 BOAT BRIDES, ONE HAS COME BACK TO HONG KONG ON A ONE-WAY CHINESE EXIT PERMIT. ANOTHER ONE IS NOW IN HONG KONG ON A TWO-WAY EXIT PERMIT,+ HE SAID.

AS FOR THE OTHER 12 BOAT BRIDES, MR THOMAS SAID THEY WERE BELIEVED TO BE IN CHINA.

ACCORDING TO THE INFORMATION SUPPLIED BY THE BOAT BRIDES TO THE IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT BEFORE THE IR DEPARTURE, EIGHT OF THEM CAME FROM ZHONGSHAN AND FOUR CAME FROM ZHUHAI, HE SAID.

TURNING TO THE CHILDREN OF THE BOAT BRIDES, MR THOMAS SAID THAT OF THE CHILDREN WHO HAD RETURNED TO CHINA WITH THEIR MOTHERS, ONLY THREE WOULD NEED TO OBTAIN A ONE-WAY EXIT PERMIT TO RETURN TO HONG KONG FOR SETTLEMENT.

+ THE OTHER CHILDREN HAVE LEGAL RESIDENT STATUS IN HONG KONG

AND COULD COME BACK HERE AT ANY TIME, HE SAID.

+ACCORDING TO INFORMATION AVAILABLE TO THE IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT, TWO CAME FROM ZHUHAI AND ONE CAME FROM ZHONGSHAN.

+THE IR PROSPECTS FOR RETURNING TO HONG KONG ARE PRESUMABLY THE SAME AS FOR THEIR MOTHERS, HE ADDED.

TWO BILLS PASSED

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TWO BILLS, THE RATING (AMENDMENT) BILL 1985 AND THE HONG KONG TRADE DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL (AMENDMENT) BILL 1985, WERE PASSED IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

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