TNAG-2404-FCO40-3491-Hong-Kong-defence-and-public-order-1992 — Page 197

CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG

TO TELELETTER FCO

TELELETTER PA SCR 1/1476/92

OF 050455Z MARCH 92

CONFIDENTIAL

141566

MDTTAN 3975

FROM: WILLIAM EHRMAN, POLITICAL ADVISER, HONG KONG. FOR: MISS E.L. WILLIAMS, HKD, FCO.

BORDER SECURITY FORCES

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TELELETTER OF 2 MARCH AND FOR A COPY OF

THE ARTICLE OF 18 FEBRUARY FROM THE DAILY TELEGRAPH.

2.

THERE IS NO TRUTH IN THIS ARTICLE. INDEED I WAS FOREWARNED

OF IT BY CLARE HOLLINGWORTH WHO ALSO WORKS FOR THE DAILY

TELEGRAPH, AND WHO SUGGESTED TO GURDON THAT HE SHOULD NOT PRINT IT. GURDON DID SPEAK TO STEPHEN BRADLEY, BUT HAS OBVIOUSLY COMPLETELY IGNORED ALL THE LATTER SAID IN TRYING TO PUT HIM RIGHT.

3.

SHENZHEN HAS ALWAYS WANTED TO DO AWAY WITH THE BORDER WITH

HONG KONG. GUANGZHOU HOWEVER HAS NEVER MUCH FAVOURED THIS AND

PEKING HAS ALWAYS BEEN OPPOSED (LU PING CONFIRMED THIS TO ME SOME TIME AGO).

4.

NOW HOWEVER PEKING'S LINE HAS BEEN ACCEPTED BY SHENZHEN. ON

27 FEBRUARY I COPIED TO PETER RICKETTS A REPORT BY THE CENTRAL

POLICY UNIT WHICH QUOTED THE DEPUTY HEAD OF SHENZHEN'S OFFICE FOR

POPULATION MANAGEMENT, ON A RECENT VISIT TO HONG KONG, TO THE EFFECT THAT SHENZHEN HAD NO INTENTION OF OPENING UP 'THE FIRST

LINE' (I.E. THE LINE BETWEEN HONG KONG AND SHENZHEN). SHENZHEN'S

FIRST REQUIREMENT WAS TO ENFORCE STRICTER CONTROL ON THE POPULATION FLOW INTO THE MUNICIPALITY. FOR THAT REASON, THEY

WANTED TO LEARN FROM HONG KONG ABOUT METHODS WHICH WE EMPLOY TO

RESTRICT THE IMPORT OF LABOUR AND TO GET RID OF OVERSTAYERS AND

ILLEGALS. SPECIFICALLY THEY WANTED INFORMATION ON OUR ID CARD SYSTEM, THE PROCEDURES AND POWERS OF THE POLICE, IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT AND LABOUR DEPARTMENT, AND PENALTIES INCURRED BY FIRMS EMPLOYING ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS.

5.

IT IS POSSIBLE THAT, FOLLOWING A LARGE INFLUX OF PEOPLE FROM THE NORTH INTO GUANGDONG IN THE IMMEDIATE AFTERMATH OF CHINESE

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CONFIDENTIAL