TNAG-0904-FCO40-1114-Immigration-from-China-to-Hong-Kong-1979 — Page 158

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Hi HồNG KONG 2216DEZ JẠN 79

TO PRIORITY F C O

TELEGRAM NUMBER 5 OF 2 JANUARY

OFFICER

No

3/

RE

Ca Telan

CLE

INFO PRIORITY PEKING ROUTINE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON

Adio 186 HUKS44 || 1978

TELNO 1498: IMMIGRATION FROM CHINA.

1. NEW MEASURES ENVISAGED IN PARA 5 OF MY TUR HAVE NOW BEEN

APPROVED BY EXECUTIVE COUNCIL. AS FROM 15 JANUARY ALL THOSE WHO

CROSS AT LOWU WITH CHINESE EXIT/RE-ENTRY PERMITS WILL BE LANDED

ONLY FOR THE PERIOD OF VALIDITY OF THEIR CHINESE DOCUMENTS (USUALLY THREE MONTHS OR LESS). IF THEY WANT TO REMAIN IN HONG

KONG FOR LONGER THEY WILL HAVE TO APPLY FOR EXTENSIONS, THE

OPPORTUNITY WILL THEN BE TAKEN TO QUESTION THEM ABOUT THEIR REASONS

FOR STAYING.

2. FOR THE REASONS GIVEN IN MY TUR WE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO RETURN FORCIBLY THOSE WHO ARE DETERMINED TO STAY BEYOND THE PERIOD OF

THEIR CHINESE DOCUMENTS. WE HOPE HOWEVER THAT THE NEW MEASURES WILL

BE A DISINCENTIVE TO STAYING - HOWEVER SMALL.

3. WE WILL TELL THE NONA WHAT WE ARE DOING IN ADVANCE, MAKING THE POINT THAT OUR MOVES FOLLOW CHINESE COMMENTS ABOUT THOSE

WHO OVERSTAY: THEY DEMONSTRATE HOW SERIOUSLY WE TAKE THE PROBLEM

AND OUR DETERMINATION, WE HOPE WITH CHINA'S - ASSISTANCE, TO FIND A SOLUTION, WE WILL SEND YOU THE TEXT OF ANYTHING WE SAY IN PUBLIC.

MACLEHOSE

FILES

FED

HKIGD

MVD

PUSD

PSİLORD GORONWY-

ROBERTS

MAL CORTAZZ-|

MR MURKAY

COPIES

ΤΟ

HONG KONG GOVERNMENT

OFFICE, LONDON

1

CON.IDENTIAL