TNAG-0984-FCO40-1203-Immigration-from-China-to-Hong-Kong-1980 — Page 18

SPEECH BY HE THE GOVERNOR TO LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

ON 23 OCTOBER 1980

IMMIGRATION (AMENDMENT) (II) BILL 1980

In accordance with Standing Order II(I) (b) I

would like to make a statement in order to commend

to Honourable Members the motion standing in the name

of the Chief Secretary. The legislation he will introduce,

if acceptable to this Council, would radically change our

traditional policy towards illegal immigrants from China.

It would not only end the so-called reached base" policy,

but it would also make it an offence to employ illegal

immigrants.

There are two streams of immigrants from China who

reach here and stay. The first group are those who leave

China legally with proper permits. The daily figure of

150 is much too high and I hope will come down.

But we

can live with this stream for the time being. Sooner or

later means must be found of enabling people from Guangdong

to pay genuine short visits to their friends and relatives

in Hong Kong while ensuring that they do not stay here

permanently. It is the other stream, the illegal one,

which operates outside the laws of both China and Hong

Kong which must be stopped and to which our present

proposals relate.

Hong Kong's record of providing home and livelihood

for persons wishing to enter from China must be unequalled