TNAG-0985-FCO40-1204-Immigration-from-China-to-Hong-Kong-1980 — Page 45

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the authorities were considering taking measures to restrict the number of 141 immigrants from China mainland each day and refuse to extend the period of stay of those whose entry permits are valid only for six months. I really do not know why that is necessary.

It seems that as a basic solution to the II problem has now been found, the authorities think it is time to deal with the "legal immigrant" problem. I feel obliged to talk about this matter and correct the wrong impression people may have.

First, let me ask which treaty or agreement has stipulated that it is necessary to restrict the number of immigrants. In the history of Hong Kong Guangdong, Hongkong and Macau have always been closely related and are inseparable from one another. Compatriots from the inland and Compatriots from Hong Kong and Macau have always been closely related and they have always been visiting each other. Such visits can never be restricted. In the past ten-odd years, up to a few years ago, the number of people who came to Hong Kong from the mainland had not been many, and there was in fact a sudden surge in the last two or three years, but it has turned normal again recently. In the inland, applications for exit permits are carefully examined. The local authorities there are well-organized and they understand the actual situation. They decide on the priority of an application, refuse or approve it and dooide on the length of stay allowed according to the actual need. Should the number of immigrants alloved each day be determined arbitrarily by Hong Kong, one hundred a day may be considered too many at one time, even fifty a day may also be considered too high at another time, and eventually, the number allowed each day may be reduced to three or five a day. In my opinion, any measure that is contrary to traditional practice is unreasonable and is bound to bring unnecessary troubles and difficulties upon the Hong Kong residents.

Secondly, from the humanitarian point of view, Hong Kong should not restrict those from the inland who come to visit their relatives. It is known to all that in the decade of turmoil during the "cultural revolution", people in the inland dared not apply to come to Hong Kong. Evan those applied found that it was not easy to have their applications approved. In recent years, the mainland authorities have reputed processing such applications, the number of those who have been thinking of visiting their relatives in Hong Kong in the past ten-odd years, of course, odded up to quite a large

/mubor

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