TNAG-0904-FCO40-1114-Immigration-from-China-to-Hong-Kong-1979 — Page 157

DEUHIN.

CHINA AND ARE UNDER DETENTION.

IMMIGRATION.

1

17. DURING DECEMBER, A TOTAL OF 11,376 CHINESE ENTERED HONG KONG

FROM CHINA LEGALLY (COMPARED WITH 9946 IN NOVEMBER). THE DAILY AVERAGE FOR THE MONTH (EXCLUDING THOSE WITH ONWARD VISAS) WAS 310 (304 IN NOVEMBER). HOWEVER IN THE LAST TWO WEEKS OF DECEMBER DAILY

ARRIVAL FIGURES STARTED TO DECLINE, ALMOST ENTIRELY AS A RESULT OF REDUCED NUMBERS OF PASSPORT HOLDERS WITHOUT ONWARD VISAS. THIS NEW TREND IS BORNE OUT BY THE FIGURES FOR THE FIRST EIGHT DAYS OF

JANUARY WHEN THE DAILY ARRIVAL RATE OF THOSE WITHOUT ONWARD VISAS

WAS 216.

18. 1143 ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS WERE ARRESTED IN DECEMBER, A DROP

FROM THE NOVEMBER LEVEL BUT IN LINE WITH SEASONAL TRENDS.

F CO PLEASE PASS SAVING WELLINGTON

1.

MACLEHOSE

FILES

HKGD

FED

PUSD

OID

IPD

DEF D

OPA

OLA

SIR A.DUFF MR.CORTAZZI MR.MURRAY

4- SECRET

[REPEATED AS REQUESTED]

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