TNAG-0802-FCO40-1006-Immigration-from-China-to-Hong-Kong-1978 — Page 250

CONFIDENTIAL

GR 290

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CYPHER/CAT A

FM HONG KONG 089341Z

CONFIDENTIAL

TOP COPY

TO IMMEDIATE F.C.C TELNO.839 OF 8 JULY 78,

INFO HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON.

(84)

HKK 341/1

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY MO. 51 10 JUL 1978

DESK OFFICER

INDEX

M

PA

Ri

8'

REG #TRY

Action Ten

niles

YOUR TELNO.526 P.Q ON ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION FROM CHINA,

:

1. WE AGREE WITH YOUR PROPOSED REPLY. 1566 (1566) ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS HAVE BEEN RETURNED UP TO 30 JUNE THIS YEAR.

2. THE WRITTEN ANSWERS TO MR ROBERT PARRY ON 8 MAY (OUR TELNO.557

OF 3RD MAY) WILL COVER SUPPLEMENTARIES ON RIGHT OF APPEAL AND STATISTICS FOR LEGAL IMMIGRATION SINCE 1972 (THE LATEST 1978 FIGURE, TO 38 JUNE, IS 23,378 (23,378)). WE SUGGEST BELOW LINES TO TAKE ON OTHER POSSIBLE SUPPLEMENTARIES:

(A)

NUMBERS OF ILLEGALS ARRESTED/ALLOWED TO STAY 7: THESE FIGURES ARE NOT GENERALLY RELEASED. HOWEVER IN IMPLEMENTING POLICY FULL ACCOUNT IS TAKEN OF ANY SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES OR CASES OF GENUINE HARDSHIP (C.F WRITTEN REPLY TO MR BIGGS-DAVIDSON OF 21 JANUARY 1975),

STRICTLY FOR YOUR OWN INFORMATION, EIGHTY FIVE HAVE BEEN ALLOWED

TO STAY SINCE REPATRIATION WAS RE-INTRODUCED ON 30 NOVEMBER 1974.

(B) WHY RETURN ILLEGALS WHEN CHINA IS NOT KEEPING LEGAL IMMIGRATION TO HONG KONG TO ACCEPTABLE LEVEL ?s

ALLOWING ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS TO REMAIN WOULD ONLY INCREASE THE

TOTAL IMMIGRATION BURDEN ON HONG KONG. THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT

IS AWARE OF OUR CONCERN TO SEE A CONSIDERABLE REDUCTION IN THE PRESENT LEVEL OF OVERALL NUMBERS ENTERING HONG KONG FROM CHINA

(C) PUNISHMENT OF THOSE RETURNED :

WE UNDERSTAND THAT ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION TO HONG KONG IS

GENERALLY REGARDED IN CHINA AS A CIVIL MISDEMEANOUR AND NOT

AS A CRIMINAL OFFENCE.

/CD) WHY

CONFIDEN MAL