TNAG-0982-FCO40-1201-Immigration-from-China-to-Hong-Kong-1980 — Page 153

SECRET

5

the

activities and certain residents would not hesitate to exploit and blackmail them. But we do not believe that, even at worse, these activities would be uncontrollable by the Police or even throw an excessive burden on them: deterrent effect of the new policy should reduce illegal immigration which would make more Police resources available to deal with crime. The community at large would accept the policy as price to be paid in order to counter the threat of large scale illegal immigration.

Security Branch Government Secretariat 14 February 1980

SECRET