TNAG-0906-FCO40-1116-Immigration-from-China-to-Hong-Kong-1979 — Page 39

GR 165

CONFIDENTIAL

ONFIDENTIAL

DESKBY FCO 300909Z

FM HONG KONG 300730Z OCT 79

HKK3Hi

RECEIVED IN MORTEY NO. 5

DESK OFFICER

INDEX

Ma

TO IMMEDIATE FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE

TELNO.1524 OF 30 OCTOBER,

PA

Bw.

INFO IMMEDIATE: PEKING, HONG KONG GOVT OFFICE LONDON.

MIPT.

REGISTRY

Action Taken

21.5

1.

SUGGESTED TEXT AS FOLLOWS:-

Zie

''IN THE LAST FEW DAYS THE INFLUX FROM CHINA HAS INCREASED

DRAMATICALLY. WHILE OUR OWN FORCES ARE DOING MAGNIFICENTLY YESTERDAY THEY ARRESTED NEARLY 1,000 DEPARTURES FROM CHINA

APPEAR TO BE BADLY OUT OF CONTROL. ARMADAS OF BOATS FILLED WITH ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS HAVE MANAGED TO SET OUT FOR HONG KONG. WE HAVE PICKED UP 131 SUCH BOAT LOADS IN THE LAST FIVE DAYS.

MANY OTHERS ARE SWIMMING OR COMING BY LAND.

IF LEGAL AND ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION FROM CHINA CONTINUES AT THE RATE WE HAVE SEEN THIS MONTH, WE WOULD HAVE TO ABSORB ABOUT

230,000 ADDITIONAL PEOPLE A YEAR. NO SMALL TERRITORY COULD DO THIS. SOMETHING MUST HAVE SLIPPED IN GUANGDONG. IF IT IS NOT

PUT RIGHT THE ECONOMY, LIVING STANDARDS, EVEN HONG KONG'S

ABILITY TO PLAY A PART IN THE MODERNISATION PROGRAMME COULD

ALL BE TRAAGGICALLY AFFECTED.

THIS MAKES NO SENSE. IT CANNOT BE

CHINESE POLICY. IT HAS TO BE STOPPED..'

MACLEHOSE

FILE S

HK & GD

COPIES TO:

HONG KONG GOVT OFFICE, LONDON

FED

SEAD

UND

PS/MR RIDLEY MR CORTAZZI MR MURRAY

CONFIDENTIAL

Z19