TNAG-0984-FCO40-1203-Immigration-from-China-to-Hong-Kong-1980 — Page 98

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FM HONG KONG 210645Z OCTOBER 80

TO IMMEDIATE F C O

TELEGRAM NUMBER 1375 OF 21 OCTOBER

INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING

20

Акк

34111

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY NO. 51 22 OCT 1980

DEEK OF CER

INDEX

YOUR TELNO 919: ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION M

PA

J22.10 AW

REGISTRY Action Taken

22

211

see

213

1. I SPENT YESTERDAY MORNING DISCUSSING ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION WITH VICE GOVERNOR LIU TIANFU (IN CHARGE OF DAILY WORK) AND THREE OTHER VICE GOVERNORS, INCLUDING THE ONE IN CHARGE OF PUBLIC SECURITY.

2. AFTER OUTLINING THE PROBLEM AND THE IMPOSSIBILITY OF

I EXPLAINED THE CONTINUING TO SUFFER THE PRESENT INFLUX, NEW MEASURES WE PROPOSED TO ADOPT. I SAID THESE INVOLVED A RISK FOR HONG KONG AND WERE ONLY JUSTIFIABLE IF ON THE CHINESE SIDE A MAJOR COMPLEMENTARY EFFORT WERE MADE TO PERSUADE PEOPLE THAT IT WAS NO LONGER WORTH TRYING TO GET TO HONG KONG ILLEGALLY AND TO STOP THEM ATTEMPTING IT.

مهم

3. LIU, AND THE OTHERS, CONFIRMED THAT ENDING THE REACHED BASE**

POLICY AND DENIAL OF EMPLOYMENT WOULD BE A SIGNIFICANT BLOW

TO THOSE PLANNING TO LEAVE ILLEGALLY AND THAT THE CHINESE WOULD TAKE FURTHER PREVENTIVE MEASURES ON THEIR SIDE. BUT LIU SHIED AWAY FROM DIRECT ASSOCIATION OF THEIR MEASURES WITH OURS MAINTAINING THAT THIS WOULD BE SUFFICIENTLY INDICATED BY MY SAYING THAT CHINA HAD AGREED TO ACCEPT BACK ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS WHETHER FOUND IN THE URBAN AREAS OR ELSEWHERE. WE HEADED THEM OFF A PROPOSAL THAT OUR NEW MEASURES REQUIRED DISCUSSION OF NEW PROCEDURES FOR RETURN OF 11'S.

4. LAST NIGHT YANG SHANGKUN (ACTING GOVERNOR IN THE ABSENCE OF XAND X AND SECRETARY-GENERAL DESIGNATE OF THE STANDING COMMITTEE OF .THE NPC AND FOR MANY YEARS MAO'S SECRETARY) GAVE A SMALL INFORMAL DINNER ATTENDED BY LIU AND OTHERS. HE HAD ALSO COME TO GREET ME ON ARRIVAL AT THE GUEST HOUSE LATE THE PREVIOUS EVENING. YANG WAS RELAXED, FRIENDLY AND MUCH MORE FORTHCOMING THAN LIU. HE SAID THAT ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION WAS ''A MAJOR HEADACHE FOR BOTH SIDES'': IT WAS ALSO DAMAGING TO CHINA'S REPUTATION. IF HONG KONG WAS NOW GOING TO TAKE RESOLUTE MEASURES TO DEAL WITH THE PROBLEM THE CHINESE

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/WOULD