TNAG-0801-FCO40-1005-Immigration-from-China-to-Hong-Kong-1978 — Page 18

GR 300

PRIORITY

CYPHER/CAT A

CONFIDENTIAL

PA

HICK 3411

RELINED IN REGISTRY NO. 51

14 JUN 1978

DESK OFFICER

INDEX

PA

BLS THY

Action an

66

FM HONG KONG 130959Z

CONFIDENTIAL

TO PRIORITY F.C.O TEL NO.724 OF 13 JUNE 78,

INFO PRIORITY PEKING,

ROUTINE HONG KONG GOVT OFFICE LONDON.

MY TELNO.692: CHINESE IMMIGRATION.

1. DURING MAY, A TOTAL OF 4,391 CHINESE CROSSED THE BORDER AT

LOWU (COMPARED WITH 2,101 IN MAY 1977). THIS GIVES AN AVERAGE OF 142 PER DAY. OF THESE, THREE PERCENT HAD ONWARD VISAS AND POSE NO PROBLEM: FOURTEEN PERCENT CLAIMED AN ONWARD DESTINATION BUT WERE WITHOUT ADEQUATE TRAVEL DOCUMENTATION TO GET THERE: AND EIGHTY THREE PERCENT SAID THEY PLANNED TO REMAIN IN HONG KONG.

2. THE POLITICAL ADVISER GAVE THESE FIGURES TODAY TO A MEMBER OF THE NCNA. HE SAID THAT WE KNEW THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES WERE ALREADY AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND THAT THEY WERE CONSIDERING WHAT TO DO ABOUT IT. MEANWHILE WE THOUGHT IT USEFUL TO ENSURE THAT THEY CONTINUED TO HAVE A CLEAR PICTURE OF WHAT WAS ACTUALLY

HAPPENING. THE NCNA OFFICIAL CONFIRMED THAT THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES WERE CONSIDERING THE PROBLEM. HE REPEATED AN EXPLANATION GIVEN PREVIOUSLY THAT THE MATTER WAS DIFFICULT TO DEAL WITH SINCE AUTHORITY FOR GRANTING TRAVEL DOCUMENTS WAS DEVOLVED TO A LOW LEVEL.

i

3. SEPARATELY, THE DIRECTOR OF THE NCNA SAID YESTERDAY IN AN

INFORMAL CONVERSATION WITH THE POLITICAL ADVISER THAT THE PROBLEM

OF NUMBERS WAS ONLY TEMPORARY. HE WAS SURE THAT THE NUMBERS WOULD COME DOWN AND THAT THERE WOULD BE AN INCREASE IN THOSE

CONFIDENTIAL

/RETURNING TO CHINA.