TNAG-2625-FCO40-3816-Visit-by-Douglas-Hurd--Secretary-of-State-for-Foreign-and-Co-1992 — Page 77

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13.

before the Hong Kong camps can be cleared.

At current rates of return, it will be

over three years

There will be some

in Hong Kong who will think this too slow. But it seems unlikely that the Vietnamese could cope with a significantly

faster rate.

Law and Order

14.

Cross-border crime remains an issue of great concern in

Hong Kong. Smuggling, and the incursions by Chinese patrol

craft related to them, have reduced of late thanks to the

efforts of the Marine Police. However there is an increasing

incidence of Chinese criminals being smuggled into Hong Kong

together with assault rifles and hand grenades. Several

street fights have resulted. It has been agreed that the Public Security Bureau will station 1 to 3 Liaison Officers in Hong Kong to improve cooperation with Guangdong. This has generally been welcomed, although some, particularly on the liberal wing, have expressed fears that this might be the beginning of Chinese involvement in the maintenance of law and order in Hong Kong.

Civil Service Issues

15. In general HKG is already highly localised. In some areas, however, there are still large numbers of expatriates and at senior levels. HKG have had particular difficulties in carrying out their localisation policy among the Police, the Judiciary and the Legal Department: but in June, nineteen expatriate officers in the Legal Department were told their

contracts would not be renewed when they expire between

October 1993 and September 1994. Latest statistics (at 1

January 1992) show that within the Police Force, 70.5% of

those at Inspector level or above are local officers. Among

the Judiciary, 43.9% of Crown Counsel are local officers.

con.iss.PR.SLM

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