TNAG-0984-FCO40-1203-Immigration-from-China-to-Hong-Kong-1980 — Page 48

00 HONG KONG DESKBY 05010OZ

GRS 190

CONFIDENTIAL

DESKBY 050100Z NOV 80

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J2o.

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FM FCO 04123OZ NOV 80

TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG

TELEGRAM NUMBER 896 OF 4 NOVEMBER

AND TO PRIORITY PEKING

PQS: ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION

See

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1. MR ARTHUR LEWIS MP HAS PUT DOWN THE FOLLOWING QUESTION: TO ASK THE LORD PRIVY SEAL, WHAT IS THE PRESENT SITUATION REGARDING ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION FROM CHINA INTO HONG KONG: HOW MANY

ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS ARE LANDING ON AVERAGE PER WEEK, MONTH OR YEAR: WHAT ACTION HAS BEEN OR IS BEING TAKEN TO PREVENT THESE ILLEGAL

IMMIGRANTS LANDING AND SETTLING IN THE UNITED KINGDOM: AND

WHETHER HE WILL MAKE A STATEMENT?

2.

WE PROPOSE TO SUGGEST THE FOLLOWING REPLY:

SINCE 23 OCTOBER ALL ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS FROM CHINA TO HONG

KONG ARE LIABLE TO BE REPATRIATED. IN THE FIRST NINE MONTHS OF

THIS YEAR AN ESTIMATED 62,000 ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS ENTERED HONG

KONG.

A COPY OF A HONG KONG GOVERNMENT INFORMATION PAPER DETAIL-

ING THE BACKGROUND TO THE PROBLEM OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION FROM

CHINA INTO HONG KONG HAS BEEN PLACED IN THE LIBRARY OF THE HOUSE. SINCE SUCH IMMIGRANTS ARE NOW BEING REPATRIATED, THERE IS NO QUESTION OF THEIR SETTLING IN THE UNITED KINGDOM.

3. GRATEFUL FOR YOUR COMMENTS DESKBY 050900Z.

CARRINGTON

DIST:

MINIMAL

HKGD

FED

COPIES TO:

HONG KONG GOV OFFICE LONDON

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