GR 575
IMMEDIATE CYPHER/CAT A
FM HONG KONG 041015Z
CONFIDENTAL
CONFIDENTIAL
TO
So 173839
MEDIATE F.C.0 TELNO.568 OF 4 MAY 78,
INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING,
To: COPY:
HKK 341/1
341/1
3本
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY NO. 51
5 MAY 1978
INDEX
PRIORITY HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON
LEGAL IMMIGRATION FROM CHINA.
PA
DESK OFFICER
no
1. WE ARE BECOMING INCREASINGLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE NUMBER OF
LEGAL IMMIGRANTS ARRIVING FROM CHINA, IN APRIL THE DAILY
AVERAGE WAS 149: IN MARCH IT WAS 114. THESE FIGURES ARE MORE
THAN DOUBLE THOSE FOR THE SAME PERIOD LAST YEAR. THEY ARE
THE HIGHEST MONTHLY AVERAGES SINCE REPATRIATION OF ILLEGALS
BEGAN IN NOVEMBER 1974.
REGISTRY Action Taken
2. THE NUMBERS HAVE BEEN CREEPING UP STEADILY SINCE LAST AUTUMN.
REASONS FOR THE INCREASE SEEM TO BE A MORE RELAXED ATTITUDE IN
CHINA TO ISSUING EXIT PERMITS, AND THE CLEARING AWAY OF A BACKLOG
OF PREVIOUS APPLICATIONS FROM THOSE WITH OVERSEAS CHINESE
CONNECTIONS. ABOUT TWENTY PERCENT OF THOSE LEAVING CHINA DO SO
WITH PAPERS SAYING THEY ARE GOING ON ELSEWHERE. ONLY A SMALL
PROPORTION HAVE VALID VISAS TO DO SO: ALMOST ALL OF THE REMAINDER
ARE UNABLE OR UNWILLING TO MOVE ON FROM HONG KONG. THE MAIN
PROBLEM HOWEVER IS THE EIGHT PERCENT OF THOSE ARRIVING WHO HAVE
NO ONWARD DESTINATION.
3. THE POLITICAL ADVISER SPOKE ABOUT OUR CONCERN TO THE NCNA ON
4TH JANUARY. HE REPEATED THIS INFORMALLY TO THE DIRECTOR OF
THE NCNA ON 19TH APRIL. THE LATTER APPROACH MAY PRODUCE SOME
RESULTS. BUT, WITH THE FIGURES STEADILY RISING, WE CANNOT RELY ON THIS.
4. WE NOW PROPOSE THAT THE POLITICAL ADVISER SHOULD AGAIN SPEAK
TO THE NCNA AND SAY THAT *
ONFIDENTIAL
/ (1) WE ARE
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