TNAG-0983-FCO40-1202-Immigration-from-China-to-Hong-Kong-1980 — Page 56

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SECRET

169)

GRS 560

SECRET

FM HONG KONG 17012øZ SEP

TO IMMEDIATE FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE TELEGRAM NUMBER 1188 OF 17 SEPTEMBER, 1980.

WIR

YOUR TELNO 784.

NIR

FOLLOWING REPEATS MY TELNO 1141 OF 9/9.

BEGINS:

TOP COPY

Nick 341

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY NO. 51 17 SEP 1980

DISK OFFICER

INDEX

PA

лю

REGISTRY Action Taken

217.9 AW 74

:

SECRET

DESKBY FCO AND PEKING 0909002

FM HONG KONG 090745Z SEP 8Ø

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

TELEGRAM NUMBER 1141 OF 9 SEPTEMBER

AND TO IMMEDIATE PEKING

INFO PRIORITY HONG KONG GOVT OFFICE LONDON

CONTROL OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION FROM CHINA.

see 173

THE VERY HIGH LEVEL OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION FROM CHINA CONTINUES. TOTAL ARRESTS FOR AUGUST WERA 12,652 (DAILY AVERAGE OF 408) COMPARED WITH 8,619 (278) FOR JULY. THERE HAS BEEN NOTHING TO CHANGE OUR ESTIMATE THAT WE CATCH ABOUT HALF OF THOSE WHO ENTER ILLEGALLY: THE REMAINDER REACH BASE AND REMAIN IN HONG KONG WITH THE BURDENSOME CONSEQUENCES OF WHICH YOU ARE AWARE.

2. THE GREAT MAJORITY OF THOSE ARRESTED ARE APPREHENDED IN THE NEW TERRITORIES, MOST OF THOSE WHO SUCCESSFULLY EVADE AND REACH BASE TRAVEL THROUGH THE NEW TERRITORIES BY PUBLIC TRANSPORT.

3. THE POLICE HAVE BEEN MOUNTING A VERY LARGE NUMBER OF ROADBLOCKS AND MAKING OTHER CHECKS IN THE NEW TERRITORIES SO AS TO INTERCEPT MORE OF THOSE GETTING THROUGH. HOWEVER, THE SHEER VOLUME

OF PEOPLE MAKING ENTIRELY LEGITIMATE JOURNEYS IN THESE AREAS AND THE

ABSENCE OF ANY RAPID AND RELIABLE MEANS OF VERIFYING AN INDIVIDUAL'S IDENTITY HAVE DIMINISHED THE EFFECTIVENESS AND SCALE OF THESE CONTROLS.

4. IN THIS WORRYING SITUATION, ECO HAVE THEREFORE DECIDED TODAY TO MAKE IT OBLIGATORY TO CARRY IDENTITY CARDS IN THE WHOLE OF THE NEW TERRITORIES AND THE OUTLYING ISLANDS EXCEPT FOR CERTAIN DENSEL Y POPULATED AREAS ADJOINING KOWLOON. IN SIMPLIFIED TERMS THIS MEANS THAT THE ONLY PARTS OF THE TERRITORY EXCLUDED FROM THE REQUIREMENT ARE HONG KONG ISLAND AND KOWLOON. IT WILL AFFECT THE 700,000 RESIDENTS OF THE NEWLY DESIGNATED AREAS AND ALSO ALL THOSE (A MILLION OR MORE) WHO VISIT THE NEW TERRITORIES AND ISLANDS, PARTICULARLY AT WEEKENDS.

5. SINCE THE UPSURGE OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION BEGAN IN THE SPRING OF 1979, FOUR AREAS OF THE NEW TERRITORIES WHERE ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS HAVE BEEN CONCENTRATED HAVE BEEN DESIGNATED AS PLACES

SECRET

/ WHERE