TNAG-0904-FCO40-1114-Immigration-from-China-to-Hong-Kong-1979 — Page 23

GRG

CONI ENTIAL

CONFIDENTIAL

вун

By →→

Mr Williamson

for info.

FM HONG KONG 843755Z APR 79

TO INMEDIATE F C O

TELEGRAM NUMBER 439 OF 4 APRIL

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INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING, ROUTINE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON

ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION FROM CHINA.

1. LAST WEEK'S SURGE IN ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION HAS FALLEN BACK TO

MORE MANAGEABLE, IP STILL UNACCEPTABLY HIGH, LEVELS.

2. THE ARREST RATE FOR THE LAST FORTNIGHT IS AS FOLLOWS

ARRESTS

343

MARCH

22

23

211

24

132

25

143

26

221

27

287

28

559

29

949

30

423

31

457

APRIL

1

329

2

360

3

238 (PROVISIONAL)

DAILY AVERAGE 356

3. BEFORE THEN THE DAILY AVERAGE FOR MARCH HAD BEEN 138, COMPARED WITH 97 IN FEBRUARY, 62 IN JANUARY AND A DAILY AVERAGE FIGURE

FOR 1978 OF 22.

4. BETWEEN 1 JANUARY AND 3 APRIL 1979 A TOTAL OF 12,176 IT'S FROM CHINA WERE ARRESTED. THE REASON FOR THE UNUSUALLY HIGH TIGURES LAST WEEK, AND PARTICULARLY THE PEAK ON 29 MARCH (THE HIGHEST DAILY TOTAL SINCE 1962) IS DIFFICULT TO DETERMINE. WE

CONFIDENTIAL

BELIEVE