CONFIDENTIAL
(214)
011246 MDHIAN 7214
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO DESKBY 181000Z FCO
TELNO 1276
OF 18090OZ APRIL 90
нко 340/l
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY
INFO ROUTINE PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG 02 MAY 1990
(146)
DESK OFFICER
RE
TOUR TELNO 1213: FOREIGN PASSPORT HOLDERSEX IN HONG KONG
SUMMARY
1. THE ESTIMATE OF HALF A MILLION CANNOT BE SUBSTANTIATED AND SUCH EVIDENCE AS IS AVAILABLE SUGGESTS IT IS NOT CORRECT. WE ADVISE AGAINST QUOTING ANY FIGURE. AN ALTERNATIVE LINE OF ARGUMENT PROPOSED.
DETAIL
2. ACCORDING TO IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT RECORDS, THE TOTAL NUMBER OF FOREIGN NATIONALS RESIDENT IN HONG KONG WAS JUST OVER 200,000 AT THE END OF LAST YEAR (INCLUDING FILIPINO MAIDS, BUT EXCLUDING VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE). THE RECORDS DO NOT DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THOSE WHO ARE FORMER HONG KONG RESIDENTS AND THOSE WHO ARE NOT.
3. NOT INCLUDED IN THOSE FIGURES ARE THE FORMER HONG KONG RESIDENTS WHO HAVE EMIGRATED AND OBTAINED SOME FORM OF FOREIGN DOCUMENTATION, BUT WHO RETURN TO HONG KONG USING THEIR OLD HONG KONG DOCUMENTS (EITHER IDENTITY CARD OR TRAVEL DOCUMENT).
4. IT WAS IN AN ATTEMPT TO QUANTIFY THIS LATTER GROUP THAT WE FIRST USED THE GENERAL HOUSEHOLD SURVEY IN THE SECOND QUARTER OF 1989. UNFORTUNATELY THE RESULTS WERE FOUND TO BE UNRELIABLE. WE ARE MAKING A SECOND ATTEMPT THIS YEAR WITH A REVISED SET OF QUESTIONS. THE RESULTS ARE UNLIKELY TO BE AVAILABLE BEFORE AUGUST.
5. IF THE PURPOSE IS TO SHOW THAT THOSE POSSESSING AN INSURANCE POLICY ARE MORE LIKELY TO STAY IN HONG KONG, THE EXPERIENCE OF THE FRENCH AND SINGAPORE SCHEMES COULD BE QUOTED. BUT THERE ARE DANGERS WITH THIS APPROACH. WHILE OUR UNDERSTANDING IS THAT NONE OF THE BENEFICIARIES OF THE FRENCH PACKAGE HAVE LEFT FOR FRANCE, THE SCHEME IS ON A VERY SMALL SCALE. ALTHOUGH THE SINGAPORE SCHEME IS MUCH LARGER, AND SO FAR ONLY A FEW HUNDRED HAVE PHYSICALLY DEPARTED OUT OF THE MANY THOUSANDS WHO HAVE BEEN GIVEN APPROVAL IN
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