TNAG-0664-FCO40-813-Immigration-from-China-to-Hong-Kong-1977 — Page 28

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ACK 341/301/1 001

341/30, // CONFIDENTIAL

REMU ALAMIKI NO. S

Mr Murray

INDLY

OFFICER

PS/Lord Gorowy

TRY

173

hytter to issue as amended Sext to follow up questio of legal represitating by

very

HONG KONG: ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION te houd I did not- mention it to the Governor 1. Mr John Roper MP and Colonel P Montgomery of the Anti-Slavery Society for the Protection of Human Rights called on

Lord Goronwy-Roberts on 7 December. A record of the meeting is

attached. The Minister promised to pass to Mr Roper and • Colonel Montgomery the latest figures for the number of illegal immigrants sent back to China from Hong Kong this year.

2=

Hong Kong have now told us that 1,678 illegal immigrants have been repatriated so far in 1977. This should be compared with the figure of 25,000 legal immigrants who have been granted exit visas to come to Hong Kong from China this year.

3.

ફ્

Mr Roper and Colonel Montgomery also asked for, details of the criteria which the Hong Kong authorities use to decide whether

or not to repatriate an illegal immigrant from China. The Hong Kong Government maintain that every case is treated on its

individual merits. Generally, illegal immigrants, are permitted to stay if there are compassionate grounds, such as if the detainee was born in Hong Kong or was previously resident in the

Colony. Permission is also granted if there is reason to believe that the person would be harshly treated if he were returned to China; if refusal would cause political embarrassment or public concern; or if there is a strong political case. (These principles were established in 1974.)

*...

4. It would seriously embarrass both the Hong Kong Government and the Chinese if these criteria became public knowledge. It

would also become harder for the authorities to identify illegal immigrants with valid rather than manufactured evidence to support their case for entry. I, therefore, recommend that Mr Roper and Colonel Montgomery be told that the Minister has re-examined and is satisfied with the criteria used, which take into account

CONFIDENTIAL