TNAG-0983-FCO40-1202-Immigration-from-China-to-Hong-Kong-1980 — Page 73

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GRS 280

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CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG 050525Z SEP 80

TO PRIORITY FCO

-CONFIDENTIAL

TELEGRAM NUMBER 1117 OF 5 SEPTEMBER

INFO PRIORITY PEKING

159)

HKCIC 341|1

нкс

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY NO. 51 0 5 SEP 1980

DESK OFFICER INDEX

PEKING TELNO 83 TO US: ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION.

PA

877.9

REGISTRY

Action Taken

AW17

TION="

1. PRESUMABLY IN ANY CASE LORD CARRINGTON WILL RATSE WE SUGGEST THAT AFTER MENTIONING THE FIGURES AND THE INTENSIVE MEASURES BEING TAKEN ON BOTH SIDES OF THE BORDER AND THE SERIOUS IMPLICATIONS FOR HONG KONG, HE SHOULD ASK IF THE CHINESE HAVE ANYTHING FURTHER TO SUGGEST. IF THEY REPLY AS IN PEKING TEL 412, LORD CARRINGTON SHOULD REPLY AS PROPOSED (SUBJECT TO PARA 2 BELOW). IF NOT, HE SHOULD EXPLAIN THE MEASURES WE PROPOSE AND THEN GO ON TO SPEAK AS IN PEKING'S PARA 3.

FOR

2. PARA 3 OF TUR IS ALRIGHT EXCEPT THAT IT IS ESSENTIAL TO EMPHASISE THAT IF THESE MEASURES ARE INTRODUCED AND THE FLOW STILL CONTINUES, THE BUILD-UP OF A SUBMERGED WORLD OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS LIVING OUTSIDE THE LAW WOULD BE VERY SERIOUS HONG KONG. CONSEQUENTLY HONG KONG WOULD ONLY INTRODUCE THESE MEASURES AS PART OF A JOINT SINO/BRITISH EFFORT WHICH WOULD HAVE A REASONABLE PROSPECT OF BRINGING THE MOVEMENT TO A HALT.

LORD CARRINGTON SHOULD ASK IF THE CHINESE ARE PREPARED TO MAKE SUCH AN EFFORT IN BOTH PREVENTIVE AND EDUCATIONAL TERMS, INCLUDING BRINGING HOME TO RESIDENTS OF THE EMIGRANT AREAS THAT WITH NO PROSPECT IN HONG KONG OF EMPLOYMENT AND EVERY PROSPECT OF BEING INTERCEPTED THERE WAS NO POINT IN MAKING THE ATTEMPT.

3. PROVIDED THE CHINESE GAVE EMPHATIC AND SATISFACTORY ASSURANCES, WE WOULD THEN GO AHEAD ON A DATE TO BE AGREED WITH THE GUANGDONG AUTHORITIES. SEE M IFT.

4. MEANWHILE SO AS TO AVOID A RUSH TO BEAT THE RESTRICTIONS IT WILL BE NECESSARY FOR BOTH US AND THE CHINESE TO KEEP THESE DISCUSSIONS SECRET AND ONLY MENTION THE SUBJECT OF IMMIGRATION TO THE PRESS IN GENERAL TERMS.

MACLEHOSE

LIMITED

HK & GD

FED

PS

PS/LPS

PS/MR RIDLEY

PS/PUS

SIR E YOUDE

[NOT ADVANCED]

RESTRICTED

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