TNAG-0984-FCO40-1203-Immigration-from-China-to-Hong-Kong-1980 — Page 238

1941

HKK026/22)

GRS 300

SECRET

341l1

HKCK 34

RECEIVSECRET NO. 31

FM HONG KONG 0703052 OCTOBER:

TO IMMEDIATE F C O

TELEGRAM MUNDER 1315 OF

INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING,"

INDEX

07 OCT 1980 TOP COPY

OFFICER

PA

REGISTRY

Acting Taken

OWOC TO ERCORECTED VERS ON)

OCTOBER

192

YOUR TELEGRAM NO 532 TO PEKING: IMMIGRATION

1. AT DINNER LAST NIGHT, WANG KUANG, FIRST DIRECTOR

see

pree

OF NCNA, SAID I WOULD BE WELCOME TO VISIT GUANGZHOU ON THE DATES SUGGESTED BUT GOVERNOR XI WOULD BE IN THE UNITED STATES AT THAT TIME. I WOULD BE RECEIVED BY THE ACTING GOVERNOR YANG SHANGKUN AND LIU TIANFU, THE VICE-GOVERNOR IN CHARGE OF DAY TO DAY BUSINESS (YANG IS THE MAYOR OF GUANGZHOU, A NEWLY APPOINTED VICE CHAIRMAN OF THE NPC AND POLITICALLY A MORE POWERFUL FIGURE THAN LIU). IN PRESENTATIONAL AND PRACTICAL TERMS THIS IS GOOD ENOUGHT, AND IN SPITE OF XI'S ABSENCE I PROPOSE TO GO AHEAD WITH THE VISIT FROM 19 21 OCTOBER BUT NOT TO ANNOUNCE IT UNTIL MUCH NEARER THE TIME.

3. NOW THAT THE SECRETARY OF STATE HAS SPOKEN TO HUANG AND THE VISIT TO GUANGZHOU IS AGREED, WE HAVE MADE THE NECESSARY. PRELIMINARY MOVES WITH THE CHINESE TO LAUNCH CHAMPION.

THE RATE OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION REMAINS HIGH, AND PRESSURE FROM PUBLIC OPINION FOR THE GOVERNMENT TO DO SOMETHING TO DEAL WITH THE PROBLEM IS GROWING. I THEREFORE PROPOSE TO ACT AS ORIGINALLY PLANNED, IE PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT AND LEGISLATION ON 23 OCTOBER. ONCE WE START THESE FINAL MOVES THE RISK OF A LEAK WILL INCREASE, PARTICULARLY AFTER THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF MY VISIT TO GUANGZHOU. I THEREFORE HOPE THAT YOU CAN AGREE TO GOING AHEAD WITHOUT A FURTHER REFERENCE BACK ON DATES.

4. WE HAVE NOW EXPLAINED BOTH TO HUANG HUA AND TO THE NCNA THE ROUGH LINES OF WHAT WE PROPOSE. HOWEVER IF THE AMBASSADOR FEELS THAT TO AVOID MISUNDERSTANDING SOMETHING SHOULD BE SAID

?

IN ADDITION TO MFA I SUGGEST IT SHOULD BE ALONG LINES OF M IFT (SUBJECT TO CONFIRMATION ON MY PARA 3 LAST SENTENCE). IN THIS CASE I SUGGEST HE ACTS AS LATE AS REASONABLE TO AVOID POSSIBILITY OF ANY LAST MINUTE OBJECTIONS.

MACLEHOSE

MINIMAL HK GD FED

MR DONALD

SECRET