TNAG-0906-FCO40-1116-Immigration-from-China-to-Hong-Kong-1979 — Page 33

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CONFIDENTIAL

CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG 310855Z OCT. 79

TO IMMEDIATE F C O

TELEGRAM NUMBER 1533 OF 31 OCTOBER

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COPY

HKK 341

DES: INDE

Mis

***EGISTRY MO. 51 1 NOV 1979

RONSTRY

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INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING, PRIORITY HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON

YOUR TELNO 888: IMMIGRATION FROM CHINA.

1. ARRESTS DURING THE 24 HOUR PERIOD UP TO 0600 THIS MORNING NUMBERED 537. ALTHOUGH A DECREASE ON THE PREVIOUS DAY THIS IS STILL

A VERY HIGH FIGURE.

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2. TODAY'S TWO MAIN ENGLISH LANGUAGE PAPERS CARRY FRONT-PAGE STORIES ON THE INFLUX. WE HOPE THAT THIS, TOGETHER WITH UNATTRIBUTABLE BRIEFING WHICH WE WILL GIVE TODAY, WILL ENSURE THAT THE SUBJECT IS COVERED BY THE AGENCIES IN TOMORROW'S BRITISH

PRESS.

3. TODAY'S HONG KONG STANDARD, IN A REPORT FROM RAY HEARN IN LONDON, SAYS THAT A MEMBER OF HUA'S STAFF HAD ANNOUNCED'' A PROMISE BY HUA TO BRING THE FLOOD OF ILLEGALS ''ALMOST TO AN END''

WE UNDERSTAND THAT YESTERDAY'STELEGRAPH CARRIES A STORY BY CLARE HOLLINGWORTH WHERE SHE QUOTES A ''SENIOR CHINESE OFFICIAL'' AS TELLING HER THE SAME THING. ARE YOU ABLE TO CONFIRM EITHER OF THESE STORIES ?

MACLEHOSE

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PS/ MR BLAKER MR CORTAZZI MR MURRAY

HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE

LONDON

CONFIDENTIAL