TNAG-0904-FCO40-1114-Immigration-from-China-to-Hong-Kong-1979 — Page 78

CONFIDENTIAL

CRS 800

CONFIDENTIAL

FM PEKING 011015Z MAR ́79

HKK 341/1

RAINED IN NEGE

1 MAR 1979

36. 5°

DESKBY FCO 011258 Z

33

DESKBY HONG KONG 020108Z

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

TELEGRAM NUMBER 279 OF 1 MARCH

AND TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG

مار

J23.3

ди

Bu $5/3.

ان قاه

INFO PRIDIRTY HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON,

ach

27.

OSA

D

HONG KONG TELNOS.279 AND 285, YOUR TELNO.166 AND MY TELNO.224:

IMMIGRATION FROM CHINA.

1.

IN THE LIGHT OF THE FULL TEXT OF THE WEN WEI PO ARTICLE REFER-

RED TO IN PARA 4 OF HONG KONG'S TELNO.279 AND OF ONE OR TWO

RECENT DEVELOPMENTS, I HAVE HAD FURTHER THOUGHTS ABOUT THE BEST WAY TO APPROACH THE CHINESE ON THIS ISSUE.

2. I AM SURE THAT ANY FORM OF CONTROL WILL BE UNWELCOME,

BUT THE ARTICLE APPEARS TO INDICATE THAT THE CHINESE ARE RECONSILED TO CONTROLS PROVIDED THEY ARE IMPOSED FROM OUTSIDE. THIS BEARS OUT THE CONTENTION IN PARA 5 OF HONG KONG'S TELMO.279

THAT ONLY RESTRICTIONS IMPOSED BY HONG KONG WILL ENABLE THE

CHINESE TO COPE WITH CRITICISMS OF THEIR EXIT VISA POLICY,

ESPECIALLY WITH REGARD TO THE JACKSON-VANNIK AMENDMENT. THE

ARTICLE ALSO INDICATES A READINESS ON THE PART OF THE CHINESE

TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE ENTRY REGULATIONS OF OTHER COUNTRIES IN-

CLUDING HONG KONG - AS BEING AMONG THE VALID CRITERIA FOR GRANTING

PERMISSION TO LEAVE CHINA. THE ACTION TAKEN OVER PASSPORT HOLDERS

TO THE PHILIPPINES MAY HAVE BEEN A FIRST STEP TOWARDS PUTTING

THIS POLICY INTO PRACTICE MORE GRADUALLY.

CONFIDENTIAL

/3. THERE