49
While the United States Consulate recognizes those problems, there has been only a nominal effort to alleviate those conditions through United States assistance. For example, in November 1971, the con- sulate's overall narcotics action committee drafted a request for $190,000 to send local law enforcement officials to the United States for narcotics training. However, there has been no followup on this re- quest. Given the fact that Hong Kong only has one man per mile of coastline in enforcement work and given the staggering amount of traffic through the Colony, a major effort to upgrade local enforce- ment capabilities is needed.11
THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA
Actually, little is known about opium production in mainland China. That country is not a signatory of the Single Convention on Narcotics and does not report production figures or control procedures to the United Nations. It is known that the Government of the Peoples Republic of China does control the production and use of opiates in China.
According to several U.S. officials in Southeast Asia, it is possible that some of the opium which is produced in the part of Yunnan Province which borders the Golden Triangle is transported into Burma. It is the opinion of these officials. however, that if any Chinese opium does enter the world markets, it does so in spite of the govern- ment of the People's Republic of China and not with official approval.
There have been other reports that such controls do not extend out- side of China and that the People's Republic is involved in the pro- duction and illegal export of narcotics.
For example, the Washington Post reported on October 8, 1972, that "The Soviet Union is currently accusing China of involvement in the production and illegal export of narcotics." In addition, on May 17, 1972, a Miss Yuan Moun-Ru, a political refugee from mainland China, told the Subcommittee on Asian and Pacific Affairs of the House Com- mittee on Foreign Affairs that she saw the Chinese Communists Liberation Army growing opium. She further stated that "it is illegal to sell opium or other narcotics in Communist China, although a black market in opium exists. The government controls all the opium for exports, especially for the United States."
U.S. narcotics officials cannot verify these reports. The official U.S. Government position has been outlined by the Cabinet Committee on International Narcotics Control in the World Opium Survey, 1972. In that document, the Cabinet Committee stated:
There is no reliable evidence that China has either engaged in or sanctioned the illicit export of opium and its derivatives nor are there any indications of government participation in the opium trade of Southeast Asia and adjacent markets. British authorities in Hong Kong believe that most of the opium and related narcotics seized in Hong Kong in recent years comes into the Colony by sea from Southeast Asia.
This was also the consensus of U.S. officials in Southeast Asia.
11 7.700 ships load and unload yearly and twice that number pass through with more than 1 million passengers. In addition, ferries carry 112 million passengers between Hong Kong and Macao.