TNAG-0905-FCO40-1115-Immigration-from-China-to-Hong-Kong-1979 — Page 113

CONFIDENTIAL

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3 1 MAY 1979

DFS OFFICER

COPY

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RESTRY

Action Taken

GRS 920

CONFIDENTIA

DESKBY FCO 301880Z

FM HONG KONG 328428Z MAY 79

TO IMMEDIATE F C O

TELEGRAM, NUMBER 675 OF 30 MAY

ما

PA

71.6

INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING, ROUTINE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON

YOUR TELNO 648 AND PEKING TELNO 489: IMMIGRATION FROM CHINA.

(NI

·86

Dee (9))

1. I AGREE WITH THE AMBASSADOR THAT OUR OBJECT IS TO ENCOURAGE sal

THE CHINESE :-

A. TO MAINTAIN THE SLOW REDUCTION IN LEGAL IMMIGRANTS:

D. DRASTICALLY TO REDUCE THE FLOW OF ILLEGALS.

THE LATTER WOULD INVOLVE THE USE OF QUITE LARGE NUMBERS OF CHINESE TROOPS AND WILL BE DIFFICULT TO ACHIEVE NOW THEY HAVE

ALLOWED THE SITUATION TO GET OUT OF HAND.

2. IF, AS CRADOCK SUGGESTS, WE DO NOT APPLY DIRECT PRESSURE ON THE CHINESE BY ACTING ON THE SO-CALLED LEGAL TRAFFIC, THERE

ARE THE FOLLOWING MEANS OF ATTEMPTING TO REDUCE THE ILLEGALS :-

A. INCREASE OUR OWN PREVENTATIVE EFFORTS. AT PRESENT THESE AMOUNT TO BETWEEN 2 AND 3 BATTALIONS FULL-TIME WITH OVER 2,000 POLICE AND 2 NAVAL PATROL CRAFT WITH RAF, RHKAAF AND ARMY AIRFORCE AIRLIFT AND RECONNAISSANCE SUPPORT. 2 SQUADRONS OF THE VOLUNTEER REGIMENT ARE MOBILISED AT WEEKENDS, AND WE HAVE PRESSED ADDITIONAL CIVILIAN BOATS INTO SERVICE TO REINFORCE MARINE POLICE CAPABILITY.

WE HAVE INTRODUCED NEW ARRANGEMENTS FOR COORDINATION, CONTROL AND INTELLIGENCE. WE BELIEVE THE EVASION RATIO IS NOW DOWN TO 1.2. THE SITUATION IS QUITE DIFFERENT TO THAT IN 1962 REFERRED

TO BY CRADOCK, BUT I DOUBT IF OUR EFFORT IS LESS AND I AM CERTAIN THAT IT IS MUCH MORE REFINED. SOME FURTHER RESOURCES OF SERVICE AND VOLUNTEER MANPOWER AND BOATS COULD BE FOUND, BUT ARE BEING HELD IN RESERVE FOR THE TIME BEING.

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