TNAG-0906-FCO40-1116-Immigration-from-China-to-Hong-Kong-1979 — Page 21

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227

GRS +85

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FM HONG KONG 081045Z NOV 79

TO PRIORITY F C O

TELEGRAM NUMBER 1579 OF 8 NOVEMBER

HKK 34+1 RECENDO VAS DAY NO. 51

C NOV 1979

DESK OFFICER

INDEX

No:

PA

REJMR

REGISTRY

Action, Taken

9/11. ཀ ང་

INFO PRIORITY PEKING, ROUTINE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON

MY TELNO 1546: ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION FROM CHINA.

1. THE DAILY 24-HOUR ARREST FIGURES OVER THE PAST 6 DAYS TO 0600 LOCAL TODAY HAVE BEEN: 246, 169, 231, 126, 133, 149. THE PATTERN OF ARRIVAL HAS FLUCTUATED BUT THOSE COMING BY SEA CONTINUE

TO BE THE LARGEST ELEMENT.

2. IT IS LIKELY THAT INCREASED CHINESE MEASURES HAVE HELPED TO PRODUCE THIS REDUCTION. HOWEVER UNSETTLED WEATHER CONDITIONS MAY ALSO BE A CONTRIBUTORY FACTOR. WE HAVE SOME EVIDENCE OF INCREASED CHINESE DEPLOYMENTS BUT CANNOT YET CONFIRM THAT THESE ARE AT THE LEVEL OF AN ADDITIONAL REGIMENT (REFTEL PARA 2).

see (228

3. THE REDUCTION IS LESS MARKED THAN IN JUNE WHEN, FOR EXAMPLE,

NUMBERS DROPPED FROM 238 ON THE 21ST TO 94 ON THE 26TH, WITH A MUCH STEADIER DOWNWARD TREND. BY 29 JUNE NUMBERS WERE DOWN TO UNDER 50 A DAY. UNTIL THEY COME DOWN TO THAT LEVEL FOR A SUSTAINED PERIOD, IT WOULD BE PREMATURE TO START DRAWING CONCLUSIONS ABOUT THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE NEW CHINESE MEASURES.

MACLEHOSE

FILES

HK & GD

FED

PUSD

COPIES TO:

HONG KONG GOVT.OFFICE

OID

NEWS D

PS/MR BLAKER

MR CORTAZZI MR MURRAY

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