TNAG-1088-FCO40-1338-Illegal-immigration-from-China-to-Hong-Kong-1981 — Page 117

CONFIDENTIAL

A

PS/Mr Blaker

HONG KONG: ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION

Problem

нкіс

34111

RECEIVED 'N REGISTRY NO. 51

1 2 FEB 1981

DESK OFFICER

No Mo

PA

REGATAY Action Taken

for 2017

1. To reply to a letter from Mr Peter Bottomley MP (Conservative

Greenwich, Woolwich West) to Mr Blaker asking for comments on a news

release and a copy of a letter to the Prime Minister on illegal

immigration to Hong Kong.

Bu noted

for

Mr. Seule.

20/2101

τι

Recommendation

2. I recommend that Mr Blaker reply to Mr Bottomley on the lines of

the attached draft.

Background

3.

The content of the draft reply is self-explanatory.

4. The Wanderers' Association was set up in June 1980 to assist

'refugees from China'. It is known to have links with the Kuomintang

in Taiwan (this cannot be declared publicly).

The three signatories

of the news release visited London in January in order to contact

Amnesty International and UNHCR, to lobby Parliament and to obtain

visas for the United States. They were unsuccessful in obtaining

visas, and their visit caused little stir.

5.

the illegal immigrant whose case has been publicised

by the Wanderers, entered Hong Kong in December 1980 and was detained,

after applying unsuccessfully for political asylum at the US Consulate-

General. His appeal for asylum in Hong Kong was turned down, after

careful consideration, and he was repatriated on 20 December. His

case has attracted little sympathy in Hong Kong.

6. The original of the Wanderers' letter to the Prime Minister has

now been received by this Department.

5 February 1981

Bein

R D Clift

Hong Kong & General Department

CONFIDENTIAL