TNAG-0103-FCO40-139-Briefs-and-background-notes-for-Lord-Shepherd-1967 — Page 104

CONFIDENTIAL

4,

During April/May 1962 a relaxation of existing controls by the

Chinese authorities led to mass attempts by mainland Chinese to cross

the land frontier into Hong Kong. Some 60,000 were intercepted and

returned but, even so, the estimated number of illegal immigrants who

again entered during 1962 was about 140,000.

5. Illegal immigrants who are intercepted are returned to China in

accordance with normal international practice, when enquiries have failed

The

to reveal any good reason why they should not be so returned.

Hong Kong Government has avoided giving a public assurance of asylum

because of the resultant difficulties if large numbers of would-be

immigrants were to claim it. In practice, however, asylum is granted

in those rare cases where there is reason to believe that the immigrant's

life or liberty might be in danger if he were returned.

Present situation

6. During the period of current Communist confrontation, the normal

control exercised at the border by the Hong Kong authorities has been

rendered extremely difficult by a series of incidents and minor local

incursions into British territory of Chinese civilians from the mainland.

There have been unconfirmed reports of movements of refugees from the

mainland to Macau of similar movements in the direction of the frontier

with Hong Kong. In recent weeks units of the Chinese Peoples Liberation

Army have exercised stricter control over the mainland side of the frontier,

but there has been an increase in the number of illegal immigrants into

Hong Kong during September and nearly 150 such persons are known to have

entered the Colony by land and sea during that month.

7. The Hong Kong Government has, for some time, been anxious about

the threat which would be posed by a mass influx of refugees into the

Colony, particularly in the event of a collapse of authority in the

neighbouring Kwangtung Province. They are accordingly constructing a

substantial barbed wire fence some 1,000-3,500 yards south of the border.

CONFIDENTIAL

/The