TNAG-0906-FCO40-1116-Immigration-from-China-to-Hong-Kong-1979 — Page 70

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3. THERE IS A POSSIBILITY, OF COURSE, THAT WE SHALL BE TOLD DURING HUA'S VISIT THAT NUMBERS CANNOT BE BROUGHT DOWN

ANY FURTHER, AND THAT THE CHINESE WILL INSIST ON THE RIGHT OF PEOPLE TO TRAVEL FREELY BETWEEN HONG KONG AND CHINA. EVEN IN THAT CASE, UNILATERAL CONTROLS WILL BE NO ANSWER:

IF THE CHINESE CANNOT BE BROUGHT ROUND, SOME SOLUTION ALONG

THE LINES OF FORCIBLY RETURNING VISITORS AFTER A CERTAIN PERIOD

MIGHT HAVE TO BE CONSIDERED.

4.

ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION IS NOW ONCE AGAIN A MORE SERIOUS PROBLEM THAN LEGAL IMMIGRATION AND HERE I HOPE WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO

PERSUADE HUA THAT URGEN MEASURES ARE NECESSARY. IN PRINCIPLE THERE ARE NO DIFFERENCES BETWEEN US ON THE ISSUE, AND IN PRACTICE THE CHINESE HAVE SHOWN IN JULY THAT THEY ARE CAPABLE CF KEEPING THE LID TIGHT (ALTHOUGH THE INCREASING NUMBER OF PEOPLE COMING BY BOAT FROM FARTHER AFIELD IS A NEW AND PERHAPS FORE PROBLEMATICAL ELEMENT). THE BEST APPROACH TO HUA WOULD

SEEM TO BE A BLEND OF VERY FIRM DEMANDS IN RESPECT OF ILLEGALS AND A DEGREE OF FLEXIBILITY ON LEGALS.

CRADOCK

FILES

HK & GD

FED

M & VD

PUSD

MR CORTAZZI

MR MURRAY

COPIES TO:

HONG KONG GOVT. OFFICE

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