Cutting dated
THE TIMES
30 JUL 1969
19
6
Hongkong curb on immigration
FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT
ら
·Hongkong, July 29 their antipathy to Indians and Hongkong has won British
Pakistanis. approval for sweeping changes in the colony's immigration policies. The main proposal is that British Commonwealth citi- zens will lose their present privi- leged status in obtaining residence and employment in Hongkong and conie under the same restrictions as aliens.
The criteria for Common- wealth citizens seeking to live or work in the colony, will be either special qualifications useful to Hongkong or close family con- nexions with the colony. It is reported, however, that United Kingdom nationals will be exempt from these restrictions.
The Indian community is charged with having collabora- ted with the Japanese in the Second World War and some Indian firms are alleged to be bringing in cheap labour from Bombay which is then exploited in Hongkong.
There are unofficial expres- sions of fears that the Indian and Pakistani minorities could lead to racial conflicts in the colony, although the proportion of non-Chinese to Chinese in Hongkong has fallen sharply throughout this century and there is little evidence of racial tension.
While details of the new mea-
East African Asians holding sures have not yet been pub-British passports have so far not lished, senior officials privately confirm the accuracy of reports about them.
The Government is also understood to be considering easing restrictions on the entry of Chinese workers from the nearby Portuguese colony of Macao. This move is in response to continued complaints from manufacturers about an acute shortage of labour in recent
years.
The new immigration proce- dures have been recommended partly because of the lack of reciprocity on immigration shown by other Commonwealth countries such as Australia. There have been frequent charges that while Australians are permitted free access Hongkong, British nationals of Chinese origin face serious racial discrimination in applying for entry to Australia.
to
Some of the unofficial mem- bers of the colony's executive council the Hongkong Cabinet -are reported to have suppor- ted the new policy because of
presented a problem, in spite of their loss of entry rights into the United Kingdom last year. While no accurate figures are available, the Immigration De- partment has steadily denied press reports of an impending flood of Kenyan Asians.
In any case, the department has overriding authority to deny entry to anyone born outside Hongkong under existing legis- lation. Government officials assert that the new measures are thus in no sense equivalent to the British Commonwealth Immigration Act of 1968. They emphasize that even with the changes, the colony's immigra- tion policies will be more liberal than those prevailing elsewhere in the Commonwealth.
In disclosing details of the new policy today, the Far Eastern Economic Review states that the reasons behind the changes
range from the sensible to the outrageous". It points out that the goodwill of India and Paki- stan may be vital to Hongkong as protecting powers
* in any future political cri.is.
1
RECEIVED IN RGIDTRY NO.51
31 JUL 1969
HKK18/27
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