TNAG-0981-FCO40-1200-Immigration-from-China-to-Hong-Kong-1980 — Page 63

НКК

34111

EIVED IN REGISTRY NO. 51 OP COPY

10 APR 1980

DESK OFFICER INDEX

PA

REGISTRY

Action Taken

\CONFIDENTIAL SAVING TELEGRAM

id4

BY BAG

CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG £20335Z AFR 80

TO FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE

TELEGRAM NUMBER SAVING 103 OF 2 APRIL

INFO SAVING HONG KONG GOVT OFFICE LONDON

PEKING

59

MYTELNO 392: RETURN OF

THE SCUTHERN DAILY (PUBLISHED IN GUANGZHOU) OF 21 MARCH CARRIES A FRONT PAGE STORY ABOUT THE SENTENCE PASSED ON

BY THE PEOPLE'S COURT OF HUIYANG COUNTY. (SEE TEXT OF JUDGEMENT IN MIFT). THE STORY SAYS THAT IN ADDITION TO ORGANIZING ILLEGAL EMIGRATION

SMUGGLED GOODS FROM HONG KONG, EVADING TAXES OF 1,176 YUAN. IT ALSO SAYS THAT ON 9 DECEMBER 1979 HE TOOK HIS WIFE AND THREE CHILDREN TO SLIP INTO HONG KONG'. NO MENTION IS MADE OF HIS BEING RETURNED FROM HONG KONG.

2. THE PAPER ALSO CARRIES A SHORT EDITORIAL COMMENT EMPHASIS ING THE IMPORTANCE OF LAW BREAKERS BRING BROUGHT TO JUSTICE THROUGH

THE COURTS..

3. THE SENTENCE IS MORE SEVERE THAN THE MAXIMUM OF FIVE YEARS IMPRISONMENT WITH THE OPTION OF A FINE UNDER CLAUSE 176 AND 177 OF THE CHINESE CRIMINAL CODE WHICH NCNA HAD TOLD US WOULD BE CHARGES USED. (SEE PARA 2 OF MYTELNO 110). HOWEVER,

HAS

BEEN FOUND GUILTY OF VIOLATING OTHER CLAUSES (NO DOUBT COVERING SMUGGLING AND OTHER OFFENCES) WHICH WERE NOT MENTIONED. IN THE REPRESENTATIONS TO US BY THE NCNA,

4. THE AGENCIES HAVE REPORTED

SENTENCE BUT HAVE NOT

REFERRED TO HIS BEING RETURNED FROM HONG KONG. THERE HAS BEEN MINIMAL LOCAL PRESS INTEREST

[THIS TELEGRAM WAS NOT ADVANCED]

FILES

HK & GD

FED

MVD

NEWS D

PUSD

MR MURRAY

CONFIDENTIAL

COPIES TO:

HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE

ער