TNAG-0802-FCO40-1006-Immigration-from-China-to-Hong-Kong-1978 — Page 50

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THEIR DEPARTURE FROM CHINA, OR PERMITTING DISORDER AT THE BRIDGE BY THOSE REFUSED ENTRY, OR BY OTHER MEANS. AT SOME STAGE WE MAY HAVE TO TAKE THESE RISKS, BUT IF POSSIBLE THEY SHOULD BE AVOIDE

BECAUSE CONTROL BY THE CHINESE THEMSELVES IS REALLY THE ONLY SATISFACTORY, OR INDEED WORKABLE, SOLUTION.

5. NEVERTHELESS I THINK WE HAVE NOW COME TO THE POINT WHERE SOME

WARNING TO THE CHINESE OF POSSIBLE ACTION ON OUR PART IS NECESSARY IF WE ARE TO JOLT THEM INTO DEALING WITH THE PROBLEM THEMSELVES. THERE ARE SOME SIGNS, ON BOTH LEGALS AND ILLEGALS, THAT LOCAL OFFICIALS IN SOUTHERN CHINA ARE EITHER UNABLE OR UNWILLING TO TAKE DECISIVE ACTION SEMI-COLON WE MUST FIND SOME MEANS OF GETTING THE CENTRAL AUTHORITIES TO MAKE THEM DO SO, INSPITE OF THEIR OTHER PREOCCUPATIONS.

6. THE AMBASSADOR AND I ARE AGREED THAT THE NEXT MOVE SHOULD NOW

BE A FORMAL, AND SUITABLY HIGH LEVEL, APPROACH BY HIM IN PEKING. HE WOULD REFER TO THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S REMARKS TO HUANG HUA AND EXPRESS DISAPPOINTMENT THAT, DESPITE HUANG'S REPLY, THE SITUATION HAD GOT WORSE NOT BETTER. HE WOULD SAY THAT HONG KONG IS NOW FACING THE PROSPECT OF MAJOR ADJUSTMENTS TO HOUSING, MEDICAL AND EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMES IN ORDER TO COPE WITH THE INFLUX SEMICO THE SITUATION IS MADE WORSE BY A RAPIDLY GROWING NUMBER OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS SEMI-COLON WE ARE SYMPATHETIC TO THE ADMINISTRATIVE DIFFICULTIES THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES FACE ON DEALING WITH THESE PROBLEMS. BUT THERE IS A COMMON SINO/BRITISH INTEREST IN HONG KONG'S PROSPERITY WHICH CANNOT BE MAINTAINED AT CURRENT LEVELS OF IMMIGRATION, AND HONG KONG'S OWN DIFFICULTIES ARE NOW REAL AND URGENT. UNLESS THE NUMBERS DROP TO REASONABLF LEVELS VERY SOON HONG KONG WILL INEVITABLY HAVE TO CONSIDER REINTRODUCTION OF THE MEASURES OF CONTROL NORMAL BEFORE 1967 WHICH ACHIEVED

CONSISTENTLY MORE ACCEPTABLE LEVELS. BUT THEY WOULD MUCH PREFER

THIS TO BE ACHIEVED BY THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES THEMSELVES,

7. THE FINAL POINT IS INTENDED TO ALERT THEM TO THE POSSIBILITY

OF THE REINTRODUCTION OF THE SORT OF CONTROLS WHICH EXISTED BEFORE WE WERE FORCED TO ABANDON THEM IN 1967 DUE TO TURMOIL ON

THE BRIDGE. IT IS NOT HOWEVER SPECIFIC, NOR DOES IT TIES US TO A TIMETABLE. ONCE WE MAKE A THREAT, WE WOULD ULTIMATELY HAVE TO MAKE IT GOOD IF THE CHINESE DO NOTHING ON THEIR SIDE. I COULD

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