}
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increased, resulting, among other things, in improved rail, air
and sea communications between Hong Kong and Guangzhou (Canton),
a new agreement on water supply signed at the end of last year,
and an agreement for China Light and Power (which provides power
for Kowloon and the New Territories) to supply electricity to
Guangdong Province.
IMMIGRATION FROM CHINA
8. This remains a serious problem. There are two types of
Chinese immigrants into Hong Kong: legal immigrants (those with
official Chinese travel documents), and illegal immigrants
(those who leave China without permission). The Hong Kong
Government impose no controls on the former (because the Chinese
take the view that their nationals have the right to free entry
into Hong Kong) but return, by agreement with the Chinese, any
illegal immigrants they catch while trying to enter Hong Kong.
Those who evade capture and find sanctuary with relatives
(until recently about 4 times the number of those caught, now
about 1 times) are allowed to stay when they eventually
surface.
9.
Between 1975 and 1977 the number of legal immigrants was
running at about 20,000 to 25,000 a year and successful
illegal immigrants at about 6,000 a year. The numbers
increased substantially in 1978, largely as a result of a more
liberal climate in China. In the first half of 1979 the
position deteriorated still further in particular there was
a dramatic rise in illegal immigration, reaching a peak in May
when the daily average caught by the security forces was 465. Diplomatic representations and the rapid reinforcement of the Hong Kong garrison led the Chinese to impose effective control
/measures
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