TNAG-1090-FCO40-1340-Illegal-immigration-from-China-to-Hong-Kong-of-refugees-orig-1981 — Page 82

Original at: AKK 026/11

Th: Copy for:

Information only / Action on

Para(s)

Lecord of conversation

SiR J. Cater VICE CIOS.

Deng DiNGSID

10/3187

(iii)

(iv)

(v)

(vi)

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(viii)

NAIDENTIAL

NICK 341/2

ніск

6.

RECTALS IN RESTRY NO. 51 22 APR1981 He knew that

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taking measures to deal with it certain steps had already been taken but he did REGISTY not know exactly what. Dr WilsonNadded that, in October last year, NCNA had said that permits would be limited in general to three months 84 It might be useful to pass on the information that, on present statistics, 2/3rds of permits were still for one year, 1/5th for six months and only 1/10th for three months.

Customs. The CS said he was pleased to see there was now developing co-operation on the customs front. There would be a group going to Hong Kong later this month and he understood there would also be further discussions about certificates of origin.

Cross-border co-operation. The CS said that there had been good progress, for instance on the question of dealing with tolerated border crossers. We would like to see further progress. One improvement would be more direct contact between the immigration authorities on both sides by, for instance, having a direct telephone link.

Cross-border traffic. The CS said he was anxious there should be no misunderstandings about the categories of passengers and vehicles which would cross the border. Some Hong Kong newspapers had spoken about simplifcation of procedures on the Chinese side. He was worried that people might think that private road traffic would be developed. Some advertisements in the Hong Kong press had suggested this. But Hong Kong had no present plans for any significant number of private cars crossing the border.

Water. The CS thanked the Guangdong authorities for their help on water supplies. He added that the previous winter had been very dry. The Director of Water Supplies had therefore made a request for additional supplies this year. He hoped this could be met.

Rabies. The CS said there had been useful discussions last year. He wondered how the Chinese saw the present situation and also whether they thought a second meeting would be useful.

Vietnamese refugees. The CS said the problem of those coming on after being settled in China had been greatly reduced thanks to the help of the Chinese authorities. It was very important to return soon those who had been waiting for a long time and, in addition, a group of 28 which had arrived from Ping Sha on 16 February.

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/contd.