TNAG-0984-FCO40-1203-Immigration-from-China-to-Hong-Kong-1980 — Page 102

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OPERATION BY THE AUTHORITIES IN HONG KONG AND GUANGDONG. IT IS

CURRENTLY ESTIMATED THAT OUR OF EVERY 5 INDIVIDUALS WHO SET OUT

FROM CHINA TO CROSS THE BORDER INTO HONG KONG ILLEGALLY, THREE ARE INTERCEPTED BY THE CHINESE FORCES, ONE BY THE HONG KONG PATROLS, AND ONE REACHES BASE IN HONG KONG. IT CAN BE CALCULATED FROM THE NUMBERS WHO HAVE BEEN INTERCEPTED IN THE LAST 12 MONTHS THAT IN THE GOVERNOR'S WORDS:

''IF THE GUARD SLIPPED ON EITHER SIDE OF THE FRONTIER AND ADJACENT SEABOARD, WE WOULD LITERALLY BE OVERWHELMED BY THIS WAVE OF HALF A MILLION OR MORE THAT HANGS OVER US. THAT IS THE DIMENSION OF THE THREAT.'

A NEW FACET OF THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN THE ARRIVAL IN MACAU IN RECENT

MONTHS OF MANY THOUSANDS OF CHINESE IMMIGRANTS, WHOSE ULTIMATE DESTINATION IS ALMOST CERTAINLY HONG KONG, THOSE WHO TRY TO COME HERE USE ALL SORTS OF MEANS TO EVADE CONTROLS, FROM FORGED PASSPORTS

TO HIGH-POWERED SPEEDBOATS.

IT IS WIDELY CONSIDERED THAT THE VAST MAJORITY OF THOSE ENTERING

HONG KONG ILLEGALLY ARE ATTRACTED BY THE PROMISE OF THE 'BRIGHT

LIGHTS'' AS REPRESENTED BY THE VISIBLE SIGNS OF HONG KONG'S

ECONOMIC SUCCESS AND HIGHER STANDARDS OF LIVING. WITH THE

INCREASING EASE OF TRAVEL BETWEEN HONG KONG AND ADJACENT AREAS, THE NEWS SPREADS MORE EASILY. NO ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT CAN REASONABLY CLAIM THAT HE IS FLEEING POLITICAL, RELIGIOUS OR OTHER PROSECUTION. MOST ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS ARE BELOW THE AGE OF 35.

INDEED, MANY OF THEM ARE IN THE AGE RANGE 15-18. VERY FEW ARE

EITHER SMALL CHILDREN OR ELDERLY: AND EVEN FEWER SUFFER FROM ANY

PHYSICAL DISABILITY.

THE GOVERNMENT HAS THEREFORE BEEN COMPELLED, AFTER CONSULTATION WITH THE U.K. GOVERNMENT, THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT AND THE PROVINCIAL

AUTHORITIES OF GUANGDONG TO INTRODUCE A SERIES OF MEASURES WHICH WITH MUTUAL CO-OPERATION WILL, IT IS HOPED, CHECK THE INRUSH OF

IMMIGRANTS AND ENABLE THE GOVERNMENT OF HONG KONG TO CONTINUE ITS

PLANNED PROGRAMMES OF SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. THESE MEASURES WERE DECIDED UPON ONLY AFTER THE MOST ANXIOUS CONSIDERATION OF ALL ASPECTS OF THE FEELINGS AND DESIRES OF THE PEOPLE CONCERNED ON BOTH SIDES OF THE BORDER BETWEEN HONG KONG AND CHINA.

AMENDMENTS