TNAG-0984-FCO40-1203-Immigration-from-China-to-Hong-Kong-1980 — Page 45

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CONFIDENTIAL

PRESS AND POPULAR OPINION.

13. IN GENERAL, OPINION REMAINS STRONGLY IN SUPPORT OF THE NEW MEASURES. SOME CAUTIOUS OPTIMISM IS APPARENT. THE ONE AREA IN WHICH

GOVERNMENT POLICY CONTINUES TO BE CRITICISED BY SOME IS THE TREATMENT OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS AND OVERSTAYERS FROM PLACES OTHER THAN CHINA. HOWEVER EXPLANATIONS OF THE POLICY, ASSURANCES THAT EACH CASE WILL BE HANDLED SYMPATHETICALLY ON ITS MERITS AND DISCLOSURE OF THE RELATIVELY LOW NUMBERS ACTUALLY REMOVED ( ABOUT ONE-TENTH OF THOSE DETECTED IN THIS CATEGORY OVER THE LAST 2 YEARS)

ARE GOING SOME WAY TO ALLAY CRITICISM. IT IS HOWEVER NOT YET STILLE CONCLUSION.

14. THE FIRST STAGE OF THE OPERATION HAS GONE WELL. IT HAS BEEN WELCOMED BY THE POPULATION, WHO ARE IN GENERAL OBSERVING ITS REQUIREMENTS. CRITICSM OF THE POLICY AS IT APPLIES TO ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS FROM PLACES OTHER THAN CHINA IS LIKELY TO CONTINUE THOUGH IN A FAIRLY LOW KEY. IT IS MUCH TOO EARLY TO SAY WHETHER THE PRIMARY OBJECT OF THE CHANGE IN POLICY, NAMELY TO DETER, IS BEING ACHIEVED.

IN THE PAST (JULY 1979 AND JANUARY 1980) CHANGES OF POLICY ANNOUNCED BY THE CHINESE WERE FOLLOWED BY A WAIT AND SEE PERIOD IN THE COMMUNES, WHICH WAS SUCCEEEDED IN TURN BY FRESH SURGES

AS SOON AS IT BECAME APPARENT THAT THE PRACTICAL CONSEQUENCES OF THE

NEW POLICIES WERE NOT SEVERE AND ENFORCEMENT WAS NOT BEING MAINTAINED. FOR THESE REASONS IT WILL BE IMPERATIVE TO THE SUCCESS OF OUR POLICY THAT IN THE COMING WEEKS WE ENFORCE, AND ARE SEEN TO BE ENFORCING, THE NEW MEASURES FIRMLY AND DETERMINEDLY AND MAKE CLEAR THAT WE SHALL GO ON DOING SO INDEFINITELY.

CATER

MINIMAL

HK & GD

COPIES TO

HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE

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CONFIDENTIAL

LONDON

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