TNAG-0888-FCO40-1098-Refugees-from-Vietnam-in-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-boat-people-1979 — Page 84

CONFIDENTIAL

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PS/Mr Blaker

CHINESE AMBASSADOR'S CALL ON MR BLAKER

HONG KONG IMMIGRATION

ADDITIONAL SPEAKING NOTE

cc PS/LPS

Mr Cortazzi

FED

HKGD

SEAD

HKK 243/1

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1. The Lord Privy Seal told you two days ago how concerned we are about the pressure on Hong Kong caused by the continuing high rate of legal and illegal immigration together with 40,000 Vietnamese refugees.

2.

We are glad that Vice Minister Zhang Shanming has now. discussed the problem of immigration with our Ambassador in Peking [yesterday]. This is a problem which you and we should be able to solve through consultation.

;

3. The figures of legal immigration into Hong Kong are dropping and we hope they will drop further. Our main concern now is the very high rate of illegal immigration. It is many times higher than the legal rate. We have already strengthened our measures. There is now an urgent need for stronger measures on the Chinese side.

1 June 1979

CONFIDENTIAL

DF Murray