Ref.: SCR 19/2091/74
SECENT
CONFIDENTIAL
The "Quota" and Legal Immigration
from China
77
Introduction
Legal immigrants from China are classified by officers of the Immigration Department at Lo Wu into four categories : quota entrants, non-Cantonese, overseas Chinese and CPG Fassport holders. This practice occasionally gives rise to misunderstanding that there is still an effective "quota" on legal immigrants from China, and that the Chinese authorities. understand and accept this quota. The aim of this paper is to clarify the meaning of "Quota Entrant" in the context of legal immigration from China. In doing so, it touches on the history of legal immigration from China since 1949. However, much of what happened in the past carnot be confirmed by documentary evidence without more extensive searches. This has not yet been done, and consequently the contents of this paper, while largely correct, must be accepted with this reservation
in mind.
Legal immigration from China prior to 1949
2.
Prior to 1949, there was no restriction on the arrival of immigrants of Chinese race from China except for a brief period during the Second World War. There had never been the necessity to exercise any immigration control on entry from China, and movement of people between China and Hong Kong existed on a large scale freely. The situation changed drastically with the advent of the Communist regime in China in 1949. Partly because of fear of Communist policy and partly because of civil unrest and famine in South China, large numbers of Chinese crossed over the border into Hong Kong.
This
led to a rapid increase in population and created severe problems of housing, employment, health and the provision of other community services in Hong Kong. It was therefore decided, unilaterally by the Hong Kong Government, to impose restriction on immigration from China with effect from 1949/1950.
Immigration Control on entry from China 1949 - 1967
3.
Entry restrictions were imposed in stages. With effect from 11th November 1949, all aliens (i.e. ali non-British subjects, including Chinese nationals) were required to hold entry permits before entering Hong Kong under the Immigration Control Ordinance (1949). However, the Immigration Control Regulations 1949) exempted Chinese nationals entering Hong Kong from China from this requirement except for the following categories :
(a) those who were wholly or partially attired in uniform
(i.e. military personnel); and.
(b) those who were entering Hong Kong from Taiwan and Hainan
Island (which then was still not under full Communist control).
The reason for excepting (a) was to prevent Nationalist military personnel from entering Hong Kong. The reason for excepting (b)
CONFIDENTIAL
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