IMMIGRATION FROM CHINA
IN CONFIDENCE
5.12
Hong Kong's capacity to accept immigrants, even temporarily, is severely limited by the strain imposed on its essential services by an already overcrowded population - Hong Kong is one of the most densely populated places in the world. Immigration thus represents a constant problem
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5.13 The vast majority of immigrants come from China. Between 1971
and 1973 their numbers increased so fast - from about 13,500 to some
74,000 a year
that in November 1974 Hong Kong was obliged to introduce a policy of returning to China illegal immigrants apprehended while entering the Territory, except where there were strong humanitarian reasons not to do this. This policy succeeded 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 Governt introduced in March 1983 a policy of prosecuting some illegal immigrants before returning them to China. So far only 8 have been convicted and imprisoned.
5.14 Legal immigration also poses a problem. The Hong Kong 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
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