TNAG-0801-FCO40-1005-Immigration-from-China-to-Hong-Kong-1978 — Page 57

(53

54

GA 45

EN CLAIR

FM HONG KONG 260958Z

UNCLASSIFIED

TO PRIORITY PEKING TEL NO.65 OF 26 MAY 78,

INFO F.C.0.

M.I.P.T: IMMIGRATION.

1. QUESTION (FROM MR HILTON CHEONG-LEEN):

HRK. 341/1.

3 GMAY 1978

Je

'HOW MANY (A) LEGAL AND (B) ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS FROM ALL

SOURCES ARE ESTIMATED TO HAVE ARRIVED IN HONG KONG FROM

JANUARY 1, 1978 TO DATE, AND TO WHAT EXTENT ARE THE SOCIAL

SERVICES AND COMMUNITY FACILITIES COPING WITH THE PRESENT

RATE OF INFLUX OF IMMIGRANTS ?

REPLY (BY ACTING CHIEF SECRETARY):

''A TOTAL OF 23,500 LEGAL AND ABOUT 6,500 ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTTS (FOLLOWING WORD UNDERLINED)

(EXCLUDING THOSE ARRESTED AND REPATRIATED) FROM ALL SOURCES ARE ESTIMATED TO HAVE ARRIVED IN HONG KONG FROM 1ST JANUARY 1978

TO 21ST MAY. (THESE FIGURES (FOLLOWING WORD UNDERLINED) COULD IMPLY A TOTAL GROSS INTAKE FOR THE YEAR BETWEEN 75 - 80,000).

AS TO THE LATTER PART OF MR HILTON CHEONG-LEEN'S QUESTION,

I CAN ONLY SAY THIS: INEVITABLY OUR SOCIAL SERVICES AND COMMUNITY FACILITIES ARE UNDER INCREASING PRESSURE FROM THE NUMBERS OF IMMIGRANTS WHO CONTINUE TO FLOW INTO HONG KONG. THEIR PRESENCE INITIALLY EITHER CONTRIBUTES TO THE NUMBERS WHO CONTINUE TO SQUAT ON CROWN LAND OR EXACERBATES OVER-CROWDING IN TENEMENTS AND HOUSING ESTATES. IMMIGRANTS ADD, THEREFORE, TO THE POTENTIAL REQUIREMENT FOR PUBLIC HOUSING. DEPENDING ON THEIR AGE AND NEEDS, THEY ADD TO THE DEMAND, AND IMMEDIATELY, FOR OUR EDUCATION AND MEDICAL SERVICES THEN, WITHIN PRESCRIBED PERIODS OF TIME, THEY BECOME ELIGIBLE FOR OTHER FORMS OF ASSISTANCE FROM PUBLIC FUNDS: FOR EXAMPLE, PUBLIC ASSISTANCE IS AVAILABLE AFTER ONE YEAR'S RESIDENCE AND INFIRMITY

ALLOWANCE AFTER FIVE YEARS."'

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