TNAG-0981-FCO40-1200-Immigration-from-China-to-Hong-Kong-1980 — Page 152

CONFIDENTIAL

MR BLAKER'S MEETING WITH SIR MURRAY MACLEHOSE: 11.30 am FRIDAY 11 JANUARY

BRIEF NO.2: IMMIGRATION

(i) Legal Immigration from China

1. The Hong Kong Government do not impose any controls on immi-

grants arriving legally from China, in deference to the Chinese

view that their citizens have a traditional right of free movement

to Hong Kong. It has however been made clear to the Chinese

authorities that we hope the numbers can be kept to a level where

they will do no more than balance the numbers leaving Hong Kong to

settle elsewhere i.e. around 50 a day. For three years up to

1977 this level was maintained, but during the second half of 1978

the numbers rose steeply to over 300 a day. In response to urgent

representations in London, Peking and Hong Kong, the Chinese agreed

to reduce the influx, and by mid-1979 it was down to 150 a day. It

has not however fallen any lower, and there are indications that the

Chinese regard 150 a day as reasonable, despite the assurances they

have given that they will try to bring it down further.

2. While the problem of legal immigrants is nothing like as serious

as that of illegals, it does add to Hong Kong's overall problem.

Mr Blaker may wish to discuss the options for us on the following

lines:

(a) Are the Chinese likely to bring the level substantially below

150 per day on their own?

(b), the imposition of controls by Hong Kong unilaterally on legal

immigration would probably not help. It would irritate the

the Chinese and might affect their attitude on illegals;

1

CONFIDENTIAL

/(c)