TNAG-1230-FCO40-1543-Visit-by-Richard-Luce--Minister-of-State-for-Foreign-and-Com-1983 — Page 189

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until 1978 in greatly reducing the number of people trying to cross

illegally into Hong Kong. In 1979, however, a total of 89,652 illegal immigrants were repatriated, with an estimated 117,000

evading detection. This situation led the British Government in June 1979 to agree to reinforce the garrison with one and a half battalions, helicopters and naval craft. Together with measures adopted by the Chinese provincial authorities, under directions from Peking, this led initially to a dramatic drop in the numbers of

illegal immigrants. However, the numbers gradually rose again, from

about 135 a day in January 1980 to over 400 by October. On 23

October 1980, new legislation was enacted ending the policy by which

immigrants who reached urban areas of Hong Kong were allowed to stay and register for identity cards. All illegal immigrants may now be

repatriated and, to make this work, it is now compulsory to carry an identity card in Hong Kong and illegal to employ anyone without

proof of identity. With levels of illegal immigration still high,

the Hong Kong Government in March 1983 introduced a policy of

prosecuting some illegal immigrants before returning them to China. So far only 8 have been convicted and imprisoned.

The Hong Kong

5.13 Legal immigration also poses a problem.

authorities have not imposed any controls on people arriving from China since 1967: they accept all those to whom the Chinese issue exit permits. Following the sharp rise in the numbers of immigrants in the early seventies, an informal understanding was reached with

the Chinese which led to the number of exit permits issued being limited to about 50 per day. However, at the end of 1977 the rate

of arrivals began to rise sharply and by the end of 1978 immigrants

from China were crossing at a rate of over 300 per day. In December

1982, following a series of contacts with the Chinese, agreement was

reached that the daily average would be kept to 150. Of these about half will be holders of two-way permits, who will be required to

return to China on the expiry of their period of stay, if they have

not done so already.

VIETNAMESE REFUGEES

5.14 Since 1975, refugees from Vietnam have been arriving by boat in Hong Kong. In 1979 the influx reached its peak, with over 66,000

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