TNAG-0904-FCO40-1114-Immigration-from-China-to-Hong-Kong-1979 — Page 25

HKK 341

59

GRS 130

CONFIDENTIAL

FM PEKING 300800Z MAR 79

TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG

TELNO 29 OF 3 MAR

RFI FCO

i....

CONFIDENTIAL

Puo

J34

P.A..!

ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION FROM CHINA

1.

AT DINNER ON 29 MARCH, THE GOVERNOR MENTIONED TO ASSISTANT MINISTER SONG ZHIGUANG THE LARGE NUMBER OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS APP-

REHENDED ATTEMPTING TO ENTER THE COLONY BY BOAT FROM THE EAST ON

28 MARCH AS REPORTED TO THE POLITICAL ADVISER BY TELEPHONE. ALSO MENTIONED THE MATTER TO WANG KUANG, DIRECTOR OF NCNA.

2.

BOTH APPEARED GENUINELY SURPRISED.

WILSON

SONG REFERRED TO THE INCIDENT AS A REGRETTABLE BREAKDOWN OF DISCIPLINE WHICH WAS A PROBLEM EQUALLY FOR BOTH SIDES. HE ASSURED THE GOVERNOR THAT THE MATTER WOULD BE LOOKED INTO, AND THAT THE PERSONS IN QUESTION SHOULD BE RETURNED. THE GOVERNOR SAID HE UNDERSTOOD THIS WAS ALREADY BEING DONE,

CRADOCK

FILE S:

FED

HK & G D

SEAD

UND

PS/LORD GORONWY ROBERTS

•PS/PUS-

SIR A. DUFF

SIR A. PARSONS

Mh CORTAZZI

MR MURRAY

1.

CONFIDENTIAL