TNAG-0664-FCO40-813-Immigration-from-China-to-Hong-Kong-1977 — Page 49

sin arts. He is to work a

CONFIDENTIAL

TO DETER ILLEGAL EMIGRATION. BUT THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES CONTINUE TO REGARD ESCAPE TO HONG KONG AS A CIVIL MISDEMEANOUR CALLING

FOR RE-EDUCATION RATHER THAN SEVERE PUNISHMENT.

3. YOU MIGHT WISH TO TELL COL. MONTGOMERY (OR OTHERS WHO MIGHT BE CONCERNED THAT PRESENT POLICY IS TOO RESTRICTIVE) THAT 25,000 PEOPLE OBTAINED EXIT PERMITS FROM THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES THIS YEAR IN ORDER TO COME TO HONG KONG LEGALLY. IN THE RETURN DIRECTION, HONG KONG RESIDENTS ARE MAKING ONE MILLION JOURNEYS TO CHINA A YEAR, PRIMARILY TO VISIT THEIR FAMILIES.

ROBERTS

६

"

FILES HK & GD

FED UND

NEWS D

PS/LORD GORONWY-ROBERTS

PS/MR LUARD MR CORTAZZI MR MURRAY

•

COPIES TO

HONG KONG GOVT OFFICE LONDON

-3- CONFIDENTIAL