TNAG-0981-FCO40-1200-Immigration-from-China-to-Hong-Kong-1980 — Page 139

ERS 300 CONFIDENTIAL

CONFIDENTIAL

FM

NG KONG 211030Z JANUARY 80

18

TO PRIORITY FCO

TELEGRAM NUMBER 122 OF 21 JANUARY

INFO PRIORITY PEKING

ADO.

HKK 3414 do

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY NC. 51

INFO ROUTINE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON 22 JAN1930

10

MY TELNO 82: ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION FROM CHINA

DESK OFFICER

INDEX

Mo

PA

PAW 2411

DURING THE PAST WEEK THERE HAS BEEN A FURTHER DETERIORATION. THE FOLLOWING ARREST FIGURES FOR THE DAILY 24-HOUR PERIODS UP TO Ø600 LOCAL ON 21 JANUARY SHOW IN BRACKETS THE NUMBERS COMING

BY LAND OR ACROSS THE BAYS SINCE IT IS HERE THAT WE WOULD EXPECT

INCREASED CHINESE MEASURES, PARTICULARLY LOCAL DEPLOYMENTS,

See 25 25A

TO HAVE MOST IMMEDIATE EFFECT: 124(40), 85(48), 157(28), 124(34),

142(40), 212(43), 104(63). THE DAILY AVERAGE OVER THE PAST 7 DAYS HAS BEEN 135(42).

2. APART FROM THE CONTINUING STEADY NUMBERS BY LAND AND ACROSS THE BAYS, THE CONTINUING LARGE NUMBERS ARRIVING BY SEA IS WORRYING. FURTHERMORE, EVIDENCE OF ORGANIZED BOAT DEPARTURES CLOSE TO HONG KONG CONTINUES. AT 0700 LOCAL ON 18 JANUARY A MOTORIZED JUNK FROM A COMMUNE ON THE EASTERN SIDE OF THE PEARL RIVER

ESTUARY WAS ARRESTED WITH 96 ON BOARD. FORTUNATELY THERE WAS A REGISTRATION NUMBER (P 0 7366) WHICH WE HAVE PASSED TO THE NCNA. WE CONTINUE ALSO TO PASS TO THE NCNA THE DAILY ARREST

FIGURES AND TO EXPRESS CONCERN ABOUT THE FACT THAT ILLEGAL

IMMIGRATION CONTINUES AT A HIGH LEVEL.

CATER

FILES

HK v GD FED

COPIES TO:

HK GO 6 GRAFTON ST

W.I

PUSD

OID

NEWS.D

PS/MR BLAKER ME MURRAY

CONFIDENTIAL