TNAG-0445-FCO40-510-Discussions-with-Sir-Murray-MacLehose--Governor-of-Hong-Kong-1974 — Page 160

Mr Male

PS/Lord Goronwy-Roberts

ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION INTO HONG KONG

FLAG

I'

Flag A

PROBLEM

1.

A number of recent and pending cases call for a review of Hong Kong's policy towards illegal immigrants from counbr other than China. (Illegal immigration from China is a separate issue which has been covered in other submissions).

BACKGROUND

2. Illegal immigration into Hong Kong from third countri has only been a trickle compared with the large number eit from China. But there is a potential problem, particular!. of draft dodgers from South Vietnam. This has been highlịc by the single shipload of 119 Chinese from Vietnam, who br to enter Hong Kong illegally on 2 June. (Hong Kong telegen 603 and 621 and Saigon telegram 15 to Hong Kong).

3.

During 1972/73 Hong Kong returned 380 illegal immipuri to Macao (of whom at least 23 then slipped back again into Hong Kong), 152 to Taiwan, and 11 to South Vietnam. Only J (including 5 from South Vietnam, who were all sent to Taime were sent on to other third countries rather than being returned to their country of origin. In each of these on: there were clear compassionate or humanitarian reasons.

4. Leaving aside the question of illegal immigration from China Hong Kong have in the past taken a stricter line, blou we do in Britain on the return of illegal immigrants to theda countries of origin. British policy, in deportation es

CONFIDENTIAL

/distinct