TNAG-0803-FCO40-1007-Immigration-from-China-to-Hong-Kong-1979 — Page 7

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ISALSERTION.

GRATION.

13. DURING NOVEMBER, A TOTAL OF 9,946 CHINESE ENTERED HONG KONG

FROM CHINA LEGALLY (COMPARED WITH 8,485 IN OCTOBER AND 2,466 IN NOVEMBER 1977). THE DAILY AVERAGE FOR THE MONTH (EXCLUDING THOSE

WITH ONWARD VISAS) WAS 304, EIGHTEEN PERCENT ABOVE THE RECORD

LEVEL SET IN OCTOBER. IN NOVEMBER 2,263 ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS WERE

ARRESTED, FIFTY THREE PERCENT ABOVE THE RECORD LEVEL SET IN

OCTOBER: THE FIGURE IN NOVEMBER 1977 WAS 118. THE NUMBER OF

ILLEGALS REPATRIATED IN NOVEMBER (2,019) WAS HIGHER THAN THE TOTAL REPATRIATION FIGURE FOR 1977 (1,779). AT PRESENT IT IS

LIKELY THAT THERE ARE ABOUT FOUR EVADERS FOR EVERY ILLEGAL

ARRESTED. THIS WOULD PUT THE PERMANENT ADDITION TO THE

POPULATION IN NOVEMBER THROUGH LEGAL AND ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION

FROM CHINA AT ABOUT 17,000.

11. AT 2 DECEMBER 3,968 REFUGEES FROM VIETNAM WERE AWAITING RESETTLEMENT ELSEWHERE (EXCLUDING 242 TEMPORARILY TRANSFERRED

TO MACAU).

12. INCLUDED IN THE FIGURE OF 2,263 (PARA. 10 ABOVE) ARE 277

ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS WHO ORIGINALLY WENT TO CHINA FROM VIETNAM

(SOME ACROSS THE LAND BORDER) AND SUBSEQUENTLY REACHED HONG

KONG BY BOAT. THEY ARE UNDER DETENTION PENDING THE OUTCOME OF REPRESENTATIONS MADE BY THE BRITISH EMBASSY IN PEKING TO HAVE THEM REPATRIATED TO CHINA.

FCO PLEASE PASS SAVING TO WELLINGTON

MACLEHOSE

(REPEATED AS REQUESTED]

FILES

HK & GD (6)

FED

PUSD

OID

IPD

DEFENCE D

OPA OLA

MR MURRAY MR CORTAZZI

[PASSED TO CABINET OFFICE]

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