TNAG-0981-FCO40-1200-Immigration-from-China-to-Hong-Kong-1980 — Page 148

BY BAG

CONFIDENTIAL

布政司署

香港下亞畢道

本署檔號 OUR REF.: SCR 3/2091/79

* YOUR Ref.:

W E Quantrill Esq

HK & GD FCO

FED are sending

Ik a telegram

on this

PAJ 22.1 Dear Bill

ノ

Mr. Sayhill 82221.

Fair point.

I mich we might sellift

think

differently.

N

If Mr. Mounge dresment the

subgich

GOVERNMENT SECRETARIAT

LOWER ALBERT ROAD

HONG KONG

17 January 1980

AKK 341|1

RECEIVED IN REGIS AY 10, D

Williams 23 JAN 1980

subject to the Chinese Amb

This afternoon I think

might

write

ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION FROM CHINA AND PQS

WY

DESK O

INDEX

PA

RY

dec. Taken

ill Aw=411

2111

fell HK so

σ

22/

I noticed from retract 951 of 17 January that in supplementary answers to a PQ (Mr Canavan on the Public Order Ordinance) Mr Ridley,commenting on illegal immigration from China, said that the flow has greatly reduced, to the great assistance of Hong Kong'. Since numbers are still considerably higher than we would like, we would hope that as far as possible any appreciative comments on the reduction in the flow of illegals could also be tempered with a reminder that we are looking forward to further improvements. Past experience has certainly shown that the Chinese are all to prone to become complacent following a short term improvement.

Ow brief said the

reduction had been "Substantial" (the January figure so far is only about 1/4

Yours

ever,

I ain

(I C Orr)

of the equivalent December level). If we were briefing a minister to make a statement, we would certainly Need to reminder to include & Orr's point above-but a reply to a supplementary inevitably involves a certain amount of ad-libbing (particularly where the thimister an overs is not entirel familiar with the subject).

CONFIDENTIAL

87221

12A