TNAG-1154-FCO40-1434-Visits-by-Members-of-Parliament-(MPs)-to-Hong-Kong-1982 — Page 33

IN CONFIDENCE

A specal briefing on the problem of illegal immigrants . (IIS) was given. Up to 1980, a 'home base' policy had been

operated in respect of IIs, with those who reached Hong Kong city itself being allowed to stay. The reason for this policy was said to be the fear that a subterranean criminal community would emerge among those whose position in Hong Kong society was fragile. With the flood of Vietnamese refugees and other legal immigrants, however, and the feeling among those already resident in Hong Kong that the colony had become dangerously overcrowded, the policy had become much tougher. ID cards had become compulsory and any IIs discovered in or entering Hong Kong were automatically repatriated. China gives active assistance to Hong Kong in this matter since she is opposed to people emigrating from China (although 'failed' IIs are now said to be much lesss harshly treated on their return to their communes than in the past). Despite the success of the Hong Kong authorities in stemming the number of IIs, however, it

a problem which still occupied a great deal of time and manpower, with the Services having a special responsibility for a designated 'outer rural area'. Driven by hopes of a reunion with members of their family or of a materially better life in Hong Kong, IIs continued to try to climb the border fence or stow away on cargo boats or trains, and there was a lucrative business in running immigrant 'package' trips by speedboat at £3,000 a head. Trying to head off as many of these IIs as possible was a constant challenge to the, Hong Kong authorities.

China's current attitude to Hong Kong was described as unaggressive. Her interest was not in destabilising the colony but in gaining people's hearts and minds and in exploiting what Hong Kong had to offer as a trading and communications centre. It remained the case, however, that the colony's 5000-odd communists were Chinese communists without a distinct organisation of their own. They were a covert group who had influence in many Hong Kong organisations. The notorious Triad societies, on the other hand, were basically groups of thugs with no political backing from China. There was no significant Soviet presence in Hong Kong and, although the Chinese Secret Service was reported to be active, it was noted with audible sighs of relief that they made no attempt to compromise visiting VIPS in the manner of the KGB! Drugs were reported to be a problem of reduced dimensions. Major syndicates had been smashed, and Hong Kong was now a consuming rather than a distributing centre.