Police are to meet their Chinese counterparts to co-ordinate plans to tackle an influx of child illegal immigrants. A delegation to Shenzhen this month will be led by Assistant Commissioner Felicia Wong Leung Kam-shan, the New Territories North regional commander. Cross-border co-operation, particularly in collecting intelligence, would be stepped up, she said. A total of 1,367 child illegal immigrants were arrested between January and March this year - compared with 90 for the same period in 1996. Mrs Wong said all would be repatriated. All mainland children with right of abode in Hong Kong after the handover should wait to be allowed to enter the territory legally. She said: 'They have to wait their turn. There is no need for them to hide themselves underneath trains and trucks . . . putting their lives at risk.' The Basic Law gives the right of residence in Hong Kong to those children born outside the territory to Hong Kong permanent residents with Chinese nationality. At present, 60 permits are issued a day to such children, but the Government estimates there are more than 30,000 waiting. China's coastal provinces are to co-ordinate a crackdown on the massive exodus of illegal emigrants, the China News Service said yesterday. The campaign will be jointly launched by Public Security Bureaus in Shanghai, Fujian, Zhejiang, Jiangsu, Shandong and Guangdong. The Immigration Department has increased staff to speed up investigation into illegal immigrants' claims to stay in the territory. It is hoped investigations will be completed in six to eight weeks, a spokesman said.
