TNAG-0904-FCO40-1114-Immigration-from-China-to-Hong-Kong-1979 — Page 28

CONFIDENTIAL

Mr Quantrill

Mr McLaren

ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION FROM CHINA

1.

Reference

HKK 341/1

مام

Эзи

Mr Mason, who is standing in for the Political Adviser whilst he is in Peking, telephoned me yesterday, 29 March, to report a large up-swing in the numbers of illegal immi- grants from China who had been arrested by the police and the Armed Forces.

2. He said that the recent daily average number of arrests had been 200, but that in the preceding 24 hours some 1,000 illegal immigrants had been arrested.

Such an up- swing had been expected as a result of the Immigration Department stopping issuing entry application forms to relatives in Hong Kong of would-be immigrants in China, but it had been much more sudden than anticipated. The majority had been arrested in Mair's Bay and the Police and Navy were extremely stretched. The illegal immigrants were being detained at the Police Tactical Unit in Fanling in the northern Territories, in Tailam near Castle Peak, and in Police Stations throughout the New Territories.

3. It was intended to stick to the policy of returning illegal immigrants within 48 hours of arrest, and to achieve this the necessary Immigration Department documentation would be carried on through the night. It was expected

Tortay that some 1,250 people would be returned to China and the NCNA had been warned of this.

4. This message, which was for information only, was also being passed by telephone to the Governor in Peking.

30 March 1979

Эпісчитанны

P J Williamson

Hong Kong and General Department

W.E. Chatill

273

CODE 18-77

CONFIDENTIAL

57