CONFIDENTIAL
TO.
4. They seem content with the present arrangement
under which the office of the New China News Agency
in Hong Kong acts as an unofficial channel of
communication between the Chinese and Hong Kong
governments.
Indeed, the Chinese have recently
strengthened the link by upgrading the post. The
new Director paid an official call on the Governor,
and the Governor reciprocated by attending the Director's
Chinese National Day keception:
were unprecedented.
both these events
Immigration from China into llong kong
5. The continuing influx of immigrants from China
places a considerable strain on social services in
Hong Kong. To discourage illegal immigrants, the
Hong Kong Government have adopted a policy of
repatriating those illegal immigrants caught in the act
of entering Hong Kong. Nonetheless, it is estimated
that some 14,500 illegal immigrants have succeeded in
year.
entering Hong Kong already this year.
6. But the greatest number of immigrants arrive legally
with exit permits issued by the Chinese Government.
Following representations at ministerial and
ambassadorial level in London and Peking in 1973, the
Chinese reduced the rate at which legal immigrants
were arriving to a manageable 50 to 50 per day. In
1977 this rate gradually rose; earlier this year it
increased sharply. Despite repeated approaches to the
Chinese in Hong Kong and Peking, it has remained at a
level of over 180 per day since June. In September the
rate was over 220 per day, and a total of 42,000
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