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4.
THE MINISTER OF STATE ASKED WHETHER AUSTRALIA HAD GIVEN ANY FURTHER THOUGHT TO A SCHEME TO ALLOW HONG KONGERS THE RIGHT OF ABODE IN AUSTRALIA WHILE REMAINING IN HONG KONG. EVANS SAID THAT IN PREVIOUS ANSWERS TO THIS QUESTION HE HAD ALWAYS SAID CAUTIOUSLY THAT HE DOUBTED WHETHER THIS WOULD BE POSSIBLE. HE WAS IN FACT WAITING FOR THE MINISTER OF IMMIGRATION TO PRODUCE A CONSIDERED VIEW WHICH LOULD ENABLE HIM TO SAY THAT MORE DEFINITIVELY. A SPECIAL SCHEME WAS NOT POSSIBLE BECAUSE OF THE
NON-DISCRIMINATORY NATURE OF AUSTRALIA'S IMMIGRATION LEGISLATION AND BECAUSE OF PRESSURES FROM ELSEWHERE.
5.
NEVERTHELESS, AUSTRALIA UNDERSTOOD OUR CONCERN. THEY DID NOT GO OUT ACTIVELY TO RECRUIT HONG KONGERS AND WOULD DO NOTHING TO IMPEDE OUR OBJECTIVES. WE POINTED OUT THAT AUSTRALIAN FIGURES SHOWED THAT SOME 19,000 PEOPLE FROM HONG KONG WERE NOW EMIGRATING TO AUSTRALIA EACH YEAR. EVANS SIAD THAT HIS IMPRESSION WAS THAT MANY OF THESE WERE IN FACT STILL LIVING IN
HONG KONG AND OFFERED TO PROVIDE EVIDENCE OF THIS (WE SHALL FOLLOW UP). AUSTRALIA WAS IN EFFECT TURNING A BLIND EYE TO THE FACT THAT MANY HONG KONG IMMIGRANTS WERE MOVING FREELY BACKWARDS AND FORWARDS BETWEEN HONG KONG AND AUSTRALIA. THE AUTHORITIES WERE NOT BEING TOUGH ABOUT THE REQUIREMENTS FOR PERMANENT RESIDENCE: AND THEY WERE TRYING TO DO SOMETHING HELPFUL FOR HONG KONG BUSINESS IMMIGRANTS UNDER EXISTING SCEMES.
CHINA
6. EVANS SAID THAT THE MINISTER FOR PRIMARY INDUSTRIES AND ENERGY (KERIN) WOULD VISIT CHINA SHORTLY BUT THIS VISIT LIKE THAT OF BLEWETT EARLIER, WOULD BE RESTRICTED TO ECONOMIC ISSUES. OWING TO THE STRENGTH OF FEELING IN AUSTRALIA ABOUT HUMAN RIGHTS ISSUES IN CHINA, HIGH-LEVEL POLITICAL VISITS WERE UNLIKELY TO TAKE PLACE. HE DOUBTED WHETHER HE HIMSELF COULD
VISIT CHINA IN, SAY, THE NEXT YEAR.
7. REFERRING TO THE RECENT EC DECISION ON RELATIONS WITH CHINA, LORD CAITHNESS SAID THAT YOU HOPED TO VISIT BEFORE TOO LONG. THE HONG KONG QUESTION PROVIDED US WITH A PARTICULAR REASON FOR SUCH CONTACT.
GULF
8"
EVANS SAID THAT HE DID NOT BELIEVE THE UNITED STATES WAS
CONTEMPLATING MILITARY ACTION IMMINENTLY:
THEY WOULD STICK TO THE
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