TNAG-0982-FCO40-1201-Immigration-from-China-to-Hong-Kong-1980 — Page 96

HKK 341

(96)

LIVED IN REGISTRY NO. 51

0 3 JUN 1980

DESK OFFICER

REGISTRY

Action Taken

PA

SECRET

ths

13 1h 5/6

GRS 200

SECRET

FM HONG KONG 301010Z MAY 80

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

TELEGRAM NUMBER 698 OF 30 MAY

INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING

94

MY TELNO 6861, ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION,

ON REFLECTION I THINK WE NEED TO CONSIDER CAREFULLY THE

FORM OF ANY REPRESENTATIONS TO THE CHINESE. APART FROM THE HIGH-LEVEL REPRESENTATIONS REFERRED TO IN PARA 5 OF MY T U R,

WE ARE IN REGULAR TOUCH HERE WITH THE NCNA ABOUT ILLEGAL

IMMIGRATION. THE PA ALSO SPOKE RECENTLY TO THE MFA IN PEKING

ABOUT OUR CONCERN (GEORGE'S LETTER TO WILSON OF 13 MAY COPIED TO FED AND HKGD). HE ALSO SPOKE SIMILARLY IN GUANGZHOU TWO DAYS AGO TO VICE GOVERNOR WANG NING WHO IS

RESPONSIBLE FOR PUBLIC SECURITY. WANG RESPONDED BY SPEAKING OF ADDITIONAL MEASURES TAKEN RECENTLY ON THEIR SIDE, HE ADDED

THAT THEY WERE NOW ARRESTING ABOUT 600 PER DAY.

see (103

loin

2. OUR IMPRESSION IS THAT THE CHINESE ARE INDEED ACTIVE IN DEALING

WITH ILLEGAL EMIGRATION, ALTHOUGH NOT, OF COURSE, AS

EFFECTIVELY AS WE WOULD LIKE. WE DO NOT WANT TO GIVE THE IMPRESSION,

PARTICULARLY TO GUANGDONG, THAT WE THINK THEY ARE NOT

TRYING.

3. IF YOU BELIEVE THAT FURTHER REPRESENTATIONS WOULD BE USEFUL

LATER FOR PRESENTATIONAL REASONS, I SUGGEST THAT THEY SHOULD TAKE

THE FORM OF A GENERAL DISCUSSION. THIS COULD BE IN THE

CONTEXT OF THE RECENT RISE IN NUMBERS, OUR REALISATION THAT THE CHINESE ARE TRYING HARD TO DEAL WITH THE PROBLEM PLUS OUR FEARS

THAT THERE MAY BE EVEN GREATER INCREASES AS WE GET INTO THE SUMMER.

MACLEHOSE

los

FILES

NEWS. D

FED

PS/PUS

PUSD

HK V QD PS/MR BLAKER

SIR.D.MAITLAND

MVD

MR DONALD

OID

SECRET