TNAG-0801-FCO40-1005-Immigration-from-China-to-Hong-Kong-1978 — Page 94

CONFIDENTIAL

(1)

WE ARE INCREASINGLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE RISING NUMBER

OF IMMIGRANTS FROM CHINA. ANY LARGE AND UNPREDICTABLE INFLUX

IS BOUND TO CAUSE GREAT DAMAGE TO THOSE SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMES (E.G HOUSING, HEALTH AND EDUCATION) WHICH ARE VITAL.

TO HONG KONG'S FUTURE STABILITY AND PROSPERITY.

(11) THE CHINESE COULD HELP BY ONLY GIVING EXIT PERMITS TO

THOSE INTENDING TO TRAVEL BEYOND HONG KONG IF THEY ALSO HAVE

VALID DOCUMENTATION FOR ONWARD TRAVEL.

(111) SUCH ACTION WOULD HOWEVER ONLY DEAL WITH PART OF THE

PROBLEM. OUR CONCERN IS WITH OVERALL NUMBERS. WE WOULD LIKE

TO SEE THSE BROUGHT BACK TO A MAXIMUM OF ABOUT FIFTY A DAY,

SUCH A LEVEL WAS OFTEN ACHIEVED IN THE EARLY 1960S AND WAS

ALSO MENTIONED AS DESIRABLE BY SIR J. ADDIS AT A MEETING WITH

THE DIRECTOR OF THE WEST EUROPEAN DEPARTMENT ON 8 NOVEMBER 1973

(IV) WE BELIEVE IT TO BE IN THE INTERESTS OF GOOD AND HARMONIOUS RELATIONS THAT MEASURES TO ACHIEVE THIS REDUCTION

SHOULD BE TAKEN ON THE CHINESE SIDE, SO THAT THE MATTER DOES

NOT BECOME A SUBJECT OF ADVERSE COMMENT OR SPECULATION ON

THIS SIDE.

5. WE HOPE THIS WILL ACHIEVE THE DESIRED RESULTS. HOWEVER, WE

MUST ALSO CONSIDER WHAT TO DO IF THE CHINESE DO NOT TAKE STEPS

TO LIMIT NUMBERS. OUR ULTIMATE WEAPON IS THE RE-IMPOSITION OF IMMIGRATION CONTROLS ON THE BORDER SUCH AS EXISTED BEFORE 1967. WE WOULD HOWEVER BE MOST RELUCTANT TO TAKE THIS STEP UNLESS WE COULD BE CONFIDENT OF HAVING AT LEAST THE TACIT SUPPORT OF THE CHINESE. LAST TIME THE SUBJECT WAS RAISED, IN 1973, THE CHINESE

REACTED STRONGLY AGAINST THE IDEA: THEY THEREAFTER BEGAN TO TAKE

STEPS TO CONTROL THE NUMBER THEMSELVES. WE ARE EXAMINING THE POSSIBILITIES AND PROBLEMS OF IMMIGRATION CONTROL AT THE BORDER BUT WE HOPE THAT IT WILL NOT PROVE NECESSARY. MEANWHILE WE DO

NOT INTEND TO MENTION THE POSSIBILITY OF CONTROLS EITHER TO THE

CHINESE OR IN PUBLIC.

2

CONFIDENTIAL

16. GRATEFUL

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