TNAG-0981-FCO40-1200-Immigration-from-China-to-Hong-Kong-1980 — Page 91

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GPS 400

CONFIDENTIAL

HKK 341|1i

RECEIVED IN-REGISTRY NO. 51

CONF11B1980

DESK OFFICER

REGISTRY

Action Taken

FM HONG KONG 151045Z FEB 80

TO PRIORITY FCO

INDEX

Ли

TELEGRAM NUMBER 255 OF 15 FEBRUARY

PA

J26.2

AW 1812

INFO PRIORITYPEKING HONG KONG GOVT OFFICE LONDON

MYTELN 197: IMMIGRATION FROM CHINA.

THE 24 HOUR ARREST FIGURE FOR ILLEGALS FOR THE 14 DAYS UP TO 0600

LOCAL ON 15 FEBRUARY WAS 2,110, OF WHICH 1,383 CAME BY LAND OR ACROSS THE BAYS AND 727 BY SEA. THE DAILY AVERAGE WAS 151. THIS IS ABOUT THE SAME AS THE LAST 14 DAYS OF JANUARY (TOTAL ARRESTS 2,090). HOWEVER, THERE HAVE BEEN CONSIDERABLE CHANGES IN THE PATTERN. SO FAR IN FEBRUARY, ARRESTS ON THE LAND BORDER HAVE BEEN ABOUT 50 PER CENT LOWER THAN IN JANUARY. THERE HAVE ALSO BEEN FEWER BOATS FROM COUNTIES TO THE EAST OF HONG KONG. HOWEVER, THERE HAS BEEN A DRAMATIC INCREASE IN ILLEGALS ORIGINATING FROM DONGGUAN COUNTY (BETWEEN THE EAST RIVER AND THE NEW SHENZHEN MUNICIPALITY ): 52 PER CENT OF ARRESTS IN THE FIRST 14 DAY S

OF FEBRUARY COMPARED WITH 18 PER CENT IN THE LAST 14 DAYS OF JANUARY

MUCH OF THIS HAS BEEN THE RESULT OF ORGANISED MOTORISED JUNKS CARRYING LARGER NUMBERS. MAKESHIFT TICKETS HAVE EVEN BEEN FOUND ON SOME ILLEGALS. WE HAVE PASSED EXAMPL TO THE NCNA. SO FAR THERE IS NO EVIDENCE THAT ANY SYNDICATES IN HONG KONG HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN THE ORGANISATION OF THESE MOTORISED JUNKS. THE NCNA HAVE SHOWN CONCERN AT THE LARGE NUMBERS COMING FROM DONGGUAN. IT MIGHT BE HELPFUL IF PEKING COULD ALSO MENTION THIS PROBLEM IF A SUITABLE OPPORTUNITY OCCURS.

2. THE DAILY AVERAGE OF LEGAL ARRIVALS WITHOUT ONWARD VISAS FROM 1 TO 14 FEBRUARY WAS 166, A DISAPPOINTING INCREASE FROM THE JANUARY DAILY AVERAGE OF 148. HOWEVER, THE FIGURES MAY BE DISTORTED BY HIGHER NUMBERS OVER THE PAST TWO DAYS (231 AND 211 RESPECTIVELY. THIS COULD BE AN EFFECT OF THE SPRING FESTIVAL RATHER THAN EVIDENCE OF AN DISTINCT UPWARD TREND.

MACLEHOSE

FILES

HK & GD

COPIES TO:

HONG KONG GOVT.OFFICE

FED

SEAD

UND

MR CORTAZZI

MR MURRAY

CONFIDENTIAL

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