TNAG-0664-FCO40-813-Immigration-from-China-to-Hong-Kong-1977 — Page 66

4.

機密

CONFIDENTIAL #2

Persons who enter legally from China and who are landed for a limited period ie Overseas Chinese and Non-Cantonese, must obtain Declarations of Identity and re-entry visas for Hong Kong if they wish to travel. During October the traffic in such persons was as follows:

Departures to

Arrivals from

China

Macao Elsewhere

1,664

1,758

88

65

144 1,896

55

1,878

Since 1 January 1974, 68,792 holders of Declarations of Identity departed for China and 56,534 returned to Hong Kong. The great majority had returned there to visit their families. The similar figures for Macao and elsewhere are available only since 1 April 1975; these are:-

Macao

Elsewhere

Departures to

Arrivals from

3,585

3,337

5,089

1,848

Illegal immigration from China

During October 1977, 157 illegal immigrants were arrested compared with 274 last month.

5.

6.

Of the 157 arrested, 31 were land crossers, 123 bay crossers and 3 sea crossers. All except 1 who escaped at Lok Ma Chau Police station were processed at Takuling. 148 were repatriated during the month, 2 were allowed to stay and the remaining 6 were awaiting a decision. In addition, 7 illegal immigrants (1 arrested in August and 6 in September) were repatriated to China in October. The highest number of illegal immigrants arrested on any one during the month was 21 on 17 October.

1.

In the early morning of 17 October, 3 illegal immigrants crossed the border at Perimeter 8 (Lok Ma Chau area) and were immediately intercepted by the Army. They were escorted to Lok Ma Chau Police station at 4 am for temporary custody before transfer to Takuling. After completion of hand-over formalities, one of the 3 illegal immigrants ran out of the Police station and disappeared. The remaining 2 were later brought to Takuling for processing and were repatriated to China on 18 October.

8.

During October 4 local residents were convicted of aiding and abetting the entry of 5 illegal immigrants from China. 3 of them were sentenced to 6 months imprisonment and the other to 10 months imprisonment. All the illegal immigrants were subsequently repatriated to China.

4 bodies, believed to be those of illegal immigrants drowned whilst attempting entry, were recovered from the sea during the month (2 in the eastern sector, 1 in the western sector and 1 in the northern sector).

9.

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G.F. 323

CONFIDENTIAL #