TNAG-0906-FCO40-1116-Immigration-from-China-to-Hong-Kong-1979 — Page 44

GR 1700

CONFIDENTIAL

DESKBY FCO 300900Z

CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG 300718Z OCT 79

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1.

HKK 3H!

Y

RECEIVED DERRY NO. 51 20 OCT 1979

DESK OFFICER INDEX

PA

зерв

REGISTRY Acton Taken

TO IMMEDIATE FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH-OFFTCË

TEL NO.1523 OF 30 OCTOBER,

INFO IMMEDIATE: PEKKING, HONG KONG GOVT OFFICE LONDON.

FOR MCLAREN, HKGD, FROM GOVERNOR.

MY TELNO.1517 : IMMIGRATION FROM CHINA.

THE INFLUX OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS HAS AGAIN INCREASED. DURING THE PAST 24 HOURS 938 HAVE BEEN ARRESTED SEMI-CLN THE HIGHEST FIGURE THIS YEAR.

2. WE MUST SOMEHOOW GET THE CHINESE TO TAKE EFFECTIVE, AND LASTING, MEASURES TO STOP IT. WITH THE NUMBERS THAT MUST NOW BE ON THE MOVE THIS WILL REQUIRE A MAJOR EFFORT ON THEIR PART NOT JUST IMMEDIATELY ACROSS THE BORDER BUT A LONG WAY UP THE

COAST AND IN THE PEARL RIVER ESTUARY.

3.

WOULD IT HELP IN THE TALKS WITH THE CHINESE LEADER IF WE ARRANGED COVERAGE IN THURSDAY'S BRITISH PRESS BY MEANS, SAY, OF A STATEMENT BY ME IN FAIRLY EMOTIVE TERMS ?

4. MIFT CONTAINS A COCKSHY DRAFT. IT WOULD HAVE TO BE MADE HERE BY WEDNESDAY EVENING. GRATEFUL FOR YOUR URGENT VIEWS ON WHETHER THIS WOULD BE HELPFUL.

MACLEHOSE

FILES

HK & GD

FED

SEAD

UND

PS/MR RIDLEY

MR CORTAZZI MR MURRAY

COPIES TO:

HONG KONG GOVT OFFICE, LONDON

CONFIDENTIAL

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