TNAG-0905-FCO40-1115-Immigration-from-China-to-Hong-Kong-1979 — Page 6

FCO40 Hong Kong Department Records 聯邦事務部香港部檔案 All

SECRET

B. THE BAD IMAGE CREATED BY THE EXODUS:

C. ACCUMULATED DIPLOMATIC PRESSURE.

MOREOVER, THE PARALLEL WITH THE VIETNAMESE WAS

DAMAGING.

4. BUT THE MILITARY MEASURES TAKEN IN CONCERT WITH YOU WERE PROBABLY DECISIVE. DEPLOYMENT STARTING AT THE END MAY OF ALL THE REGULAR GARRISON, AS WELL AS SUBSTANTIAL NUMBERS OF POLICE AND AUXILIARIES, ON ANTI-ILLEGAL EMIGRATION SPEAKS FOR ITSELF. BUT WE DELIBERATELY PUBLICISED IT IN BOTH HONG KONG AND GUANGDONG TO PUT BOTH ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS AND CHINESE AUTHORITIES ON NOTICE.

5. FINALLY, ON 6 JUNE THERE WERE WELL PUBLICISED LEAKS OF OUR REQUEST FOR REINFORCEMENTS AND REPORTS OF MY RETURN TO LONDON FOR

''CRISIS'' TALKS.

6. WE HAVE NOW ACHEIVED THE DECISIVE STEPS BY CHINA WHICH WERE OUR OBJECTIVE. OUR NEXT OBJECTIVE IS TO MAINTAIN THEM.

EVEN IF, AS WE HOPE, THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES MAINTAIN THEIR VIGILANCE, IT WILL TAKE TIME FOR THE POLITICAL AND SOCIAL SITUATION IN SOUTHERN GUANGDONG TO SETTLE DOWN AFTER

SUCH A LONG PERIOD.

7. THE NEW SITUATION CALLS FOR NEW TACTICS AND DEPLOYMENT ON OUR PART, BUT CERTAINLY REQUIRES A CONTINUING HIGH LEVEL OF ACTIVITY, IF WE RELAX, THE FLOOD COULD START AGAIN, AND IF WE WERE SEEN TO BE RELAXING WE MIGHT ENCOURAGE THE CHINESE TO FOLLOW SUIT.

THIS IS A COPY

THE ORIGINAL HAS BEEN RETAINED

IN THE DEPARTMENT UNDER

SECTION 3 (4) OF THE PUBLIC RECORDS ACT 1968

2

SECRET

13. WE WILL

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