TNAG-1198-FCO40-1500-Legal-immigration-into-Hong-Kong-1982 — Page 4

HKK 341 NCEIVED IN AFORTRY

4 JA

DESK OFFICER

PS/Lord XsteadPa

RESISTRY

AFST

IDENTIAL

31/12

(7)

South fr.

Mate 7411

Good new

A

4

LEGAL IMMIGRATION FROM CHINA

Brief No 8 for Lord Belstead's recent visit to Hong Kong referred to the encouraging Chinese response in September on

1.

the question of controlling the number of legal immigrants entering Hong Kong from China. We have now received the attached A BLS telegrams 1529 and 1530 from Hong Kong reporting that a formal

agreement was reached on 17 December with the Guangdong authorities, whereby, with effect from 23 December, visitors from China to Hong Kong having two-way permits will be required to return to China before the expiry date of their permits and will be returned there if they do not. The Chinese also agreed to hold the daily average of one-way and two-way permit-holders to the present level of about 150 (of whom about half would hold two-way permits).

2.

This is a development of some importance. For the first time machinery has been agreed for the return of legal (as opposed to illegal) immigrants, although this is being played down in publicity. If the arrangements work they should mean a reduction in legal immigration from China of about 27,000 people per year.

31 December 1982

cc:

News Dept (with encs)

FED

Mr Donald

бир

1

R D Clift

Hong Kong and General Department

CONFIDENTIAL