CODE 18 - 77
Mr T David
HKD
CONFIDENTIAL
Reference......
LEGAL EMIGRANTS FROM CHINA
1 You asked for comments on the Chief Immigration Officer's report on Legal Emigrants from China. Mr Chui's report was interesting and informative.
2. Mr Fenn asked in his letter of 14 February 1977 if the six categories of people eligible for China Exit Permits (CEP) or Passports had ever been published. I have not seen this list before, although its existence has been mentioned in "Travellers Tales" (see Ms Pares comments).
3. No details are given in paragraph 3 on the Chinese restrictions on numbers of people who could emigrate from Hong Kong, made at the end of 1973. According to our records, this policy was introduced on the request of both the Hong Kong authorities and the British Government, who were anxious to reduce the number of legal immigrants entering Hong Kong each day (FCO telegram 1275 to Hong Kong 12 December 1973). Although we do not have the terms of the new restrictions, it was learnt from one source that a quota system was devised whereby up to 25 applicants a day could be given CEPS in Fukien and Kwangtung and up to 10 a day from each of the other provinces (OIR 6015/74). The agreement was referred to in general terms in World Today June 1974. Another report in 1975 alleged that Central Document had imposed a new restriction on the issue of CEPs with effect from July 1975, as a temporary measure to reduce the rate of emigration. CEPS were only to be issued to Overseas Chinese but not to their families or relatives (OIR 3529/75 para 13). A further report in 1976 said that Chekiang had imposed a limit, only allowing one person a day to leave for Hong Kong (OIR 10979/76 para 23).
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4. Paragraph 3 of Mr Chui's report says that "the prime factor in determining the success or failure of an individual application (for a CEP) would be the strong and acceptable evidence produced by the applicant in support of the claim for connections with people outside China". In no case of people interviewed and reported in the overt intelligence reports has such evidence been demanded by the Chinese authorities, although it has almost always been offered by the applicant.
5. Paragraph 4 of Mr Chui's report says that "generally the time taken for the processing of an application for a Double Journey Permit ranges from one year to one and a half years before the applicant is notified of the final approval or refusal. In 1976 I have noted the following figures from the overt intelligence reports: 65 of the 160 people interviewed received CEPS within a year or after a year to a year and a half, 46 after 2 years, 40 after 3 years, 8 after 4 years and 1 after 6 years. In the case of passports 16 of the 37 people interviewed received a passport after one to one and a half years, 16 after 2 years, 3 after 3 years and 2 after 4 years. This does not, of course, prove Mr Chui's figure wrong, as by no means all legal emigrants' accounts of their acquisition of CEPS are recorded in the overt
CONFIDENTIAL
/intelligence
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