TNAG-0904-FCO40-1114-Immigration-from-China-to-Hong-Kong-1979 — Page 81

HKK 341/1

CONFIDENTIAL -

The Dept. discussed with me before submitting: I agree

Mr Murray

PS/Lord Goronwy-Roberts

39

4kk 3411

Drummy

INDEX

RECEIVED IN REGULAY 10. 51 - 9 MAR 1979

32

n

1978

A

B

158

301/1

344/1

1978

IMMIGRATION FROM CHINA INTO HONG KONG

9/3

1. On 16 December last year, HM Ambassador in Peking warned a Chinese Vice Foreign Minister on instructions that the high level of immigration was creating very serious difficulties for Hong Kong, and that if a substantial fall in numbers did not take place soon, the Hong Kong Government might have to consider introducing its own measures of control (Peking telegram No 916). The background is contained in my submission of 7 December.

The

2. There has been no significant improvement over the past two months; indeed, the underlying trend has been sharply upwards. There was a slight fall in the daily average of new arrivals between December and January, but this was due to special factors. daily average for February (288 per day up to the middle of the month) has again risen. If immigration continued at this rate for the rest of the year, there would be around 100,000 legal immigrants alone. Illegal immigration is also continuing at a very high level, currently at a rate equivalent to 40,000-50,000

there is an obvious threat a year. The prospect is very worrying;

to the Hong Kong Government's housing and social programmes.

3.

There is evidence that the Chinese have been making some efforts to reduce numbers. But as the Governor says (paragraph 4 of Hong Kong telegram No 279), these efforts run counter to the general policy of liberalisation in China and to the commitment to freer emigration in particular. It is far from certain that the Chinese authorities will be willing or able to take the measures necessary to bring numbers down to an acceptable level within the foreseeable future, and it seems likely that the Hong Kong Government will eventually have to introduce control measures of their own. view of the importance of being able to satisfy the US Congress on the

question of emigration (in order to qualify for MFN trading status under the Jackson/Vanik amendment) the Chinese may even prefer controls to be seen to be imposed from outside. But that is speculation.

4.

In

The Governor has recommended that the Chinese should now be given

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1

CONFIDENTIAL