TNAG-0984-FCO40-1203-Immigration-from-China-to-Hong-Kong-1980 — Page 142

PM/80/73

PRIME MINISTER

SECRET

HKK 341

HKG D oke PS

PS/LPS

TOY MUY Blaker

PS/PUS

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY NO. 51 Donald

14 OCT 1980

PA

DESK OFFICER INDEX

No

824.10

FED

REGISTRY Action Taken

10 AW 1411 AW14/1

Illegal Immigration from China to Hong Kong

see

206

1. Illegal immigration from China to Hong Kong continues

at a very high rate and is creating serious economic and

social pressures in the Territory. The Governor wishes to

take new steps to deal with this. There may be Parliamentary

interest and you will wish to know what is being done.

203

2. Until now illegal immigrants who on entry have evaded

our security forces and have succeeded in reaching the Urban Area have been allowed to remain in Hong Kong. This has increased the incentives for illegal immigrants to come across: and in the Governor's judgement their numbers have now become

unmanageable, not least because of the effects of the recession

on the prospects for employment. I an therefore authorising

the Governor to return to China all illegal immigrants discovered

in Hong Kong, save in exceptional humanitarian cases.

3. This will involve legislation in Hong Kong requiring residents to carry Identity Cards at all times and making

the employment of anyone without such a card illegal. The

legislation will be enacted on 23 October and the new policy

implemented shortly thereafter.

4.

I told the Chinese Foreign Minister in general terms

about the new measures on 1 October and stressed the importance

of Chinese co-operation in making them effective.

5.

There may be some criticism of the new measures in

Parliament and elsewhere, directed, for example, at the

harshness of a policy of returning those who have escaped from

a communist country or at the imposition of the legal obligation

to carry identity cards. However, I am confident that they

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/can