TNAG-2949-FCO40-4226-Hong-Kong-visa-policy-with-other-countries-1993 — Page 23

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ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION FROM CHINA (PRC) VIA HONG KONG

Note by United Kingdom Delegation

The United Kingdom recalls that the problem of increased illegal immigration by PRC nationals was raised at the meeting It was of the Ad Hoc Group on Immigration on 24 May 1993. suggested then that Hong Kong featured in the route taken by and that those seeking to gain entry into the Community, information about the nature and scale of the problem might be exchanged in CIREFI. The United Kingdom delegation undertook

to see what further information might be obtained.

2. In practice, and because a number of Member States have experienced a related increase in Chinese asylum seekers, much of the subsequent work on this subject has been carried out by CIREA, The result of this work is contained in WGI 1548 Rev 1, entitled "Asylum seekers of Chinese origin."

3. Nonetheless, the United Kingdom delegation thought it might be helpful to inform colleagues in CIREFI of the outcome of their inquiries into the suggestion that Hong Kong is being used as a 'stepping stone' into Europe. The United Kingdom wishes to reassure Member States that Hong Kong maintains tough

and efficient immigration controls which act as a firm deterrent to would-be illegal immigrants. Immigrants from China who enter Hong Kong illegally are quickly identified and repatriated and we believe that the effectiveness of Hong

Kong's measures for dealing with

with illegal immigration is

recognised widely in the region.

4. It would also be wrong to confuse the movement of illegal immigrants with those of PRC nationals travelling legitimately to other countries and transiting Hong Kong. Last year, there were 100,000 legitimate travellers and this number is likely

to increase as China's economy opens up further and commercial

exchanges with Europe continue to develop.