TNAG-1197-FCO40-1499-Legal-immigration-into-Hong-Kong-1982 — Page 35

TO

GR 330

CONFIDENTIAL

CONFIDENTIAL IOP COPY

HKK 34/3

FM HONG KONG 070947Z SEP 82

TO PRIORITY F.CO

TELEGRAM NUMBER 1001 OF 7 SEPTEMBER

INFO PRIORITY PEKING

LEGAL IMMIGRATION

?

1. TAN GAN OF NCNA CALLED ON THE POLITICAL ADVISER TODAY TO CONVEY THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES' RESPONSE TO THE REPRESENTATIONS ON LEGAL IMMIGRATION MADE HERE ON 14 NOVEMBER 1981 (HONG KONG TELNO 1026 OF 1931).

HKK 341 3 1981

2. APART FROM A REFERENCE TO THE PRINCIPLE OF FREEDOM OF PASSAGE BETWEEN 'INLAND** CHINA AND HONG KONG, THE MAIN POINTS OF THE REPLY WERE:

(A) CHINA HAD ALWAYS HAD REGARD FOR HONG KONG'S DIFFICULTIES AND WOULD CONTINUE TO CONTROL THE NUMBER OF CHINESE RESIDENTS ENTERING HONG KONG LEGALLY:

(B) THE CHINESE WOULD IMPROVE THE METHOD OF CONTROLLING THE OUT-GOING PASSENGERS' BY DISTINGUISHING THOSE WISHING TO COME FOR PERMANENT SETTLEMENT FROM THOSE WISHING TO VISIT RELATIVES IN HONG KONG.

་་

(C) THE CHINESE WOULD ASK TRAVELLERS ISSUED WITH TWO-WAY PERMITS TO RETURN TO CHINA ON THE COMPLETION OF THEIR VISITS. (D) THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES WOULD ACCEPT THE RETURN OF OVER-STAYERS SENT BACK BY HONG KONG. THIS SHOULD BE ACHIEVED WITHOUT RESORT TO FORCE OR INSULTS''.

3. THE POLITICAL ADVISER THANKED TAN FOR THIS RESPONSE AND SAID HE WOULD REPORT IT IMMEDIATELY. HE THEN ASKED WHETHER TAN COULD ELABORATE, IN PARTICULAR ON:

(1) WHETHER, AS WE HAD PROPOSED, THE CHINESE CONTEMPLATED ANY REDUCTION IN THE PROPORTION OF ONE-WAY PERMITS, WHICH HAD REMAINED AT 75% OF THE TOTAL FOR THE PAST YEAR, AND

(1) WHAT LENGTH OF STAY THE CHINESE HAD IN MIND FOR THOSE ISSUED WITH TWO-WAY PERMITS. MCLAREN POINTED OUT THAT AT PRESENT MOST TWO-WAY PERMITS WERE VALID FOR AT LEAST 6 MONTHS: IF THE VISITS WERE SIGNIFICANTLY SHORTER THAN THIS IT WOULD BE EASIER TO HAVE MORE OF THEM, AND EASIER TO PERSUADE PEOPLE TO RETURN TO CHINA.

19

See HERO26/10

(22)

53

(25)

CONFIDENTIAL

14.