TNAG-0904-FCO40-1114-Immigration-from-China-to-Hong-Kong-1979 — Page 70

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CONFIDENTIAL

GR3 196

CONFIDENTIAL

1. PEKING 960815Z MARCH 79

DESKBY A669807

TO IMMEDIATE FCQ

TELEGRAM NUMBER 285 OF 6 MARCH 79.

AND TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG

HKK 341/1

RASWLU

Dix

INDEX

INFO PRIORITY HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON.

HONG KONG TELNO.335:

36

8 MAR 1979

C.

See

39

LEGAL IMMIGRATION FROM CHINA.

1. IN VIEW OF THE CHINESE OFFER TO EXERCISE SOME SORT OF CONTROL THROUGH THE ISSUE OF TWO DIFFERENT KINDS OF TRAVEL PERMITS, I CAN AGREE TO THE APPROACH OUTLINED IN PARA 4 OF HONG KONG'S TUR, AT LEAST AS FAR AS POINTS (A), (B) AND (C) ARE CONCERNED.

(37)

2. IT SEEMS A LITTLE PREMATURE HOWEVER TO GO INTO THE DETAIL OF (D). WOULD IT NOT BE PREFERABLE TO REPLACE IT BY AN AMENDMENT OF THE FINAL SENTENCE OF (C) ? THIS COULD READ ''

THIS COULD READ "'... UNLESS THE NET INFLOW OF HOLDERS OF ALL TYPES OF PERMIT ENTERING HONG KONG IS UNDER FIFTY A DAY'' AND COULD POSSIBLY GO ON 'WE WOULD BE HAPPY TO DISCUSS WITH THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES WAYS OF PERSUADING HOLDERS OF TWO WAY PERMITS TO RETURN TO CHINA THAT WOULD BE MUTUALLY ACCEPTABLE''.

3. I AGREE THAT, SINCE THE CHINESE HAVE MADE AN OFFER, THE PRO- POSAL IN MY TELNO.270 CAN AT LEAST BE HELD IN RESERVE. BUT WE WONDER WHETHER IT WOULD BE IMPRACTICABLE. ALTHOUGH IT WOULD LEAVE HONG KONG WITH THE INVIDIOUS TASK OF CHOOSING BETWEEN APPLICANTS, IT WOULD AT LEAST HAVE THE MERIT OF ALLOWING HONG KONG, RATHER THAN THE CHINESE, TO CONTROL THE FLOW OF PERSONS ENTERING HONG KONG, AND COULD AT FIRST SIGHT BE USED FLEXIBLY TO COPE WITH SEASONAL, PHENOMENA SUCH AS THE CHINESE NEW YEAR. CRADOCK

PILES

HRY&D (U)

UND

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P3JUARD GOROUNy RoBtats PSIPOS

SIR. A DUFF

Min torTATZA MIL. MUGRAY

[Passso ALSO BY Bag To Hong Kong

Copies To!

Nong kong Govt office

CONFIDENTIAL

b GRAPTON STREET,