CONFIDENTIAL
IMMIGRATION
1.
Almost 45% of Hong Kong's population are themselves immigrants. Immigration from China is continuing at a rate of over 50,000 a year. This influx (more than twice the number of Uganda Asians who came to the UK) strains Hong Kong's housing and social welfare programmes, already over-stretched.
2.
The bulk of these immigrants come from China with the agreement of the Chinese Government. Under present arrangements there is no way for the Hong Kong Government to turn these people back. We have urged the Chinese Government to reduce this flow to not more than 50 a day. They have cut it down to an average of 90.
3.
The other part of the problem is illegal immigration. Arrangements have recently been concluded with the Chinese for the return of illegals caught entering Hong Kong. A separate paper is attached. Although there is no explicit link between these arrangements, which the Chinese have asked for, and our demands for a reduction in the flow of legal immigration, we hope that cooperation on the first problem will lead to progress on the second.
CONFIDENTIAL
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