CONFIDENTIAL
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Originally the Governor had planned to give lunch. at Government House for Liu and his party. Unfortunately
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a bad attack of flu kept him in the UK and the lunch had to be given by Sir Jack Cater instead.
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During the lunch we spoke of illegal immigration. Sir Jack thanked Liu for what had been done in Guangdong to prevent an upsurge of immigrants during the period of registration. Liu confirmed that they had taken steps to let people in the communes know of Hong Kong's new policy. He thought the fact that people could no longer hope to find employment in Hong Kong should lessen the flow. But he said the problem was a long-term one which might re-emerge in about six month's time. He emphasised the importance of dealing severely with those involved in organising illegal immigration. I am attaching a summary record of the conversation.
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The only other point of interest which emerged during lunch was a parochial one. This was Liu's reaffirmation of their wish (mentioned during the Governor's visit to Guangzhou) to have a new border crossing point in the west at Lok Ma Chau rather than a duplication of the existing bridge at Man Kam To for which the Chinese had previously been pressing. This is an example of the problem, now becoming more prevalent, of different messages coming from different parts of the Chinese bureaucracy. We will now look more seriously at the Lok Ma Chau alternative but the Chinese may change their minds again before we are finished.
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All in all, although nothing remarkable emerged, Liu's visit represented a useful further strengthening of personal contacts. It is part of the process by which it is becoming accepted as normal that senior officials from Guangdong can come here and, without inhibitions, both get some idea of what makes Hong Kong tick and meet senior members of our own Government.
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RJT McLaren Esq Far Eastern Department
M W Atkinson Esq MBE Peking
(D C Wilson)
CONFIDENTIAL
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