CONFIDENTIAL
4.
We are not sure exactly what happens to those illegal immigrants returned to China. Representatives of the New China News Agency in Hong Kong have suggested that those returned after attempting to escape from China would be dealt with by re-educative means. There have been isolated reports of harsh punishment being meted out but these may be special cases involving Communist cedres accused of neglecting their duty or organisers of illegal enigration routes. Host of the evidence available suggests that the mejoriuy receive fairly minor punishment. The fact that some illegal inmigrents are now being apprehended for the second time tends to
bear this cut.
5.
Thore continues to be some Farliamentary and public interest in this subject. This has recently focused on the possibilities of passing on illegal immigrants to Taiwan, which would not, of course, be acceptable to Feking or HNG. There is some evidence that this interest is being stimulated by an organisation in Taiwan; but the fact remains that Taiwan has been reluctant to accept some legal emigrants from China, notably sone ex-1T Generals released by the Chinese authorities. This led to the suicide of
one of them.
Hong Kong Indian Ocean Department
27 November 1975
CONFIDENIAL
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