§ Mr. Adleyasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what percentage of the supply of fresh fruit and vegetables available regularly in Hong Kong is (a) brought into the territory from the People's Republic of China, (b) supplied from within the New Territories and (c) supplied from the ceded territory of Hong Kong Island, Kowloon and Stonecutters.
§ Mr. LuceDuring 1983, the People's Republic of China accounted for an average of 43.1 per cent of Hong Kong's supply of fresh fruit and vegetables. 18.6 per cent. of Hong Kong's supply of fresh fruit and vegetables was produced locally in 1983. It is not possible to provide separate figures for different parts of the territory.
§ Mr. Adleyasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the average daily figure for the import into Hong Kong of pigs from the People's Republic of China for the latest convenient date.
§ Mr. LuceIn 1983, the daily average figure for Hong Kong's imports of pigs from the People's Republic of China was 8,400.
§ Mr. Adleyasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much trade from the People's Republic of China passes through Hong Kong; what proportion is goods and services; what trends he envisages in this trade; and what financial benefit is derived by the United Kingdom from this trade.
§ Mr. LuceThe following table shows total re-exports from Hong Kong of goods from China.
730W
1980 1981 1982 1983 (Jan-Nov) (a) In Hong Kong dollars million: 8,393.9 12,834.2 14,693.7 17,558.5 (b) As a percentage of total Hong Kong re-exports: (27.9) (30.7) (33.1) (35.1) (c) As a percentage of total Chinese exports: (9.3) (11.1) (11.2) (n/a) Figures for services are not available.
I see no reason why this rising trend should not continue. It is not possible to quantify the extent to which the United Kingdom benefits from this trade.
§ Mr. Adleyasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the total level of investment of the Government of the People's Republic of China and their offshoots, in the territory of Hong Kong, to the latest date for which this information is available.
§ Mr. LuceIt is difficult to provide an accurate total. Thirteen banks in the Bank of China group and 12 manufacturing companies of some substance, known to involve interests from the People's Republic of China, operate in Hong Kong. Direct investment in eight of the manufacturing companies, for which figures are available. is estimated at HK$549 million.
§ Mr. Adleyasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what proportion of the fresh water supply for the territory of Hong Kong is supplied from (a) the People's Republic of China, (b) the New Territories and (c) the ceded territory of Hong Kong Island, Kowloon and Stonecutters.
§ Mr. LuceIn 1984, 41 per cent. of Hong Kong's water supply will be derived from the People's Republic of China, 56 per cent. from the New Territories and 3 per cent. from Hong Kong Island, Kowloon and Stonecutters Island.
§ Mr. Adleyasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the current and anticipated exchange of power supply as between Hong Kong and the People's Republic of China.
§ Mr. LuceAt present the China Light and Power Company in Hong Kong sells a small amount of power to the Guangdong Power Company in China. The Government of the People's Republic of China are planning the construction of a nuclear power station in Guangdong province, south China. It is envisaged that when the nuclear power station comes into operation, in the early 1990s, approximately 70 per cent. of the total power produced will be sold to Hong Kong.
§ Mr. Adleyasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will indicate for 1983 the number of (a) legal and (b) illegal immigrants into Hong Kong from the People's Republic of China; and how many in category (b) were compulsorily repatriated.
§ Mr. LuceDuring 1983, 26,701 immigrants from the People's Republic of China entered Hong Kong legally for settlement. About 9,000 illegal immigrants are estimated to have entered Hong Kong from China in 1983. Some 8,191 were repatriated, including some who had entered illegally in 1981 and 1982 but who were not apprehended until 1983.