TNAG-0907-FCO40-1117-Immigration-from-China-to-Hong-Kong-1979 — Page 83

CONFIDENTIAL

235

布政司署

港下亞畢道

本署檔號 OUR REF: SCR 6/2091/55

HKK.....

34/11

來函檔號 Your ReF.:

R D Clift Esq

RECEIVED IN REGTEY NO

INDEX

GOVERNMENT SECRETARIAT

LOWER ALBERT ROAD

HONG KONG

10 November, 1979

15 NOV ipler Williamson 1

n

157/11

15.11

Hong Kong & General Department

F C O

lec

fecte

See (239)

IMMIGRATION FROM CHINA: SPEECH BY WARREN CHRISTOPHER

We have just seen the text of a statement made by Warren Christopher, the United States Deputy Secretary of State, to the House Ways and Means Sub-Committee on Trade on 6 November. He was arguing for approval of the new trade agreement with China.

2.

In the last section of his speech Christopher dealt with section 402 of the Trade Act (the Jackson Vanik Amendment). He argued that Chinese emigration policy was now reasonably liberal and cited as part of his evidence the fact that emigration to Hong Kong had increased dramatically in 1978. He quoted the figures and then said that the number had slowed down slightly since April this year, primarily because of protests by the Hong Kong Government. I enclose a copy of this section of the speech.

3.

We do not want the Chinese to get the impression that they can, or need to, win Brownie points in Washington

I by pushing thousands of emigrants into Hong Kong. therefore spoke to the US Consul-General here, pointing this out, and asking that he should pass on our concern to the State Department. He agreed that there was plenty of evidence for Jackson Vanik Amendment purposes both in China's general assurances and the rate at which they granted visas to go to the United States. Indeed, as Warran Christopher pointed out in the next section of his speech, so many exit visas had been granted for Chinese going to the States that some people are having to wait for as long as five years before being able to get a place within the quota. The fact that many of them wait in Hong Kong adds to our local difficulties. The Consul-General said that he thought emigration was not a serious issue in Congressional approval of the Trade Act and

CONFIDENTIAL

/contd.

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