GF 323
CONFIDENTIAL
機密
2.
7.
We have from time to time contemplated taking initiatives to place control over legal immigration fully or partly in our own hands. Such possible initiatives have included: refusing extensions of stay to visitors; enforcing their return; and imposing a physical control at Lo Wu to prevent any more than a number of our own choosing to enter. But the possible consequences have hitherto deterred us from adopting any of these courses. We would be in serious difficulties if control of immigrantion from China (as distinct from the control of visitors) were to be put on the same basis as control from elsewhere. The pattern of immigration over recent years has meant that many families have been split, with the husband coming to Hong Kong for settlement. There are many thousands of residents in China who would qualify for settlement here under current policies which apply to other countries, (and which still theoretically apply to China). This problem has not surfaced in the past because conditions in China did not normally allow residents to leave, even if they had close relatives here. This is no longer the case. When the measures referred to in para 2 were intro- duced, there was an immediate demand for entry visas for permanent residence which was so overwhelming (100,000 forms were issued) that in March 1979 the Immigration Department ceased accepting applications, and the 12,000 completed applications have remained frozen.
Statistics
Statistics on numbers entering on the two types of permit and an analysis of the main characteristics of the immigrants is given at Annex A
-
D.
9. The Annexes reveal that at present about half the total of legal immigrants have one-way permits. The periods of validity of the two-way permits are three, six or twelve months; at present about one third fall in each category. The sexes are about evenly divided and they are of no particular age grouping (unlike illegal immigrants). Nearly half have been educated up to secondary level and nearly half are either agricultural workers or students.
The Chinese Attitude
10.
The Chinese claim to attach importance to what they call the principle of free movement between Hong Kong, China and Macau. They are unlikely to agree to the imposition by the Hong Kong Government of a formal quota on legal immigration. They reacted strongly when such a move was proposed in 1973. There is no reason to believe that their position has changed.
11. ward
Following sustained and high level diplomatic pressure from early 1978 on- the Chinese reduced the flow of legal immigrants to the present level of 150 a day. They also said that there was a huge backlog which had built up during the Cultural Revolution. There is no reason to doubt this: they have a real problem of pressure to leave. The Chinese also undertook in October 1980, but only after strong representations at many levels from the Governor downwards, to reduce the period of validity of two-way exit permits. This undertaking has not yet been effectively implemented.
12.
At the time of Operation Champion we told the Chinese that we would not deal with the problem of legal movement immediately but would have to revert to it, and particularly the question of making sure that visits were genuine, in a few months' time. It is not clear how the Chinese would respond to a new policy of not allowing holders of two-way permits to remain in Hong Kong.
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CONFIDENTIAL #2
機密
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