GRS 450
IORITY
CYPHER CAT A
FM PEKING 310845Z
CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
TO PRIORITY FCO TELNO.316 OF 31.5.78
PA
(97)
HKK 243//
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY NO. 51 0 1 JUN 1978
DESK OFFICER
INDEX
حسا
PA
REGISTRY
Action Taken
INFO PRIORITY HANOI, MOSCOW, WASHINGTON, HONG KONG, BANGKOK, VIENTIANE.
HANOI'S TELNO.77:
1.
SINO/VIETNAMESE RELATIONS.
दह
SINCE 24 MAY, WHEN NCNA PUT OUT A STATEMENT BY A SPOKES- MAN OF THE OVERSEAS CHINESE AFFAIRS OFFICE OF THE STATE COUNCIL ACCUSING THE VIETNAMESE AUTHORITIES OF QUOTE OSTRACISING, PERSECUTING AND EXPELLING UNQUOTE LARGE NUMBERS OF CHINESE RESIDENTS IN VIETNAM (COPIES BY BAG TO FCO AND SOME OTHERS), THE CHINESE PRESS AND TELEVISION HAVE CARRIED DAILY REPORTS ON THE PLIGHT OF OVERSEAS CHINESE REFUGEES CROSSING INTO CHINA FROM VIETNAM. THE EVENTS REPORTED INCLUDE A QUOTE SERIOUS INCIDENT UNQUOTE IN WHICH ON 27 MAY VIETNAMESE TROOPS ALLEGEDLY OPENED FIRE ON AND WOUNDED REFUGEES CROSSING TO CHINA BY BOAT. ON 27 MAY NCNA CLAIMED THAT 17,703 REFUGEES ARRIVED IN CHINA BETWEEN 21 AND 26 MAY AND THAT, IN ALL, MORE THAN 89,700 REFUGEES HAD BEEN QUOTE DRIVEN BACK TO CHINA BY THE VIETNAMESE AUTHORITIES UNQUOTE.
2.
THE ORIGIN OF THE CHINESE REFUGEES IS NOT ALTOGETHER CLEAR. THE CHINESE STATEMENT OF 24 MAY CLAIMED THAT EARLY IN 1977 THE VIETNAMESE STARTED TO EXPEL, PEOPLE FROM THE VIETNAMESE EORDER AREAS AND THAT THIS ACTION HAD SUBSEQUENTLY DEVELOPED INTO THE MASSIVE EXPULSION OF CHINESE RESIDENTS IN ALL PARTS OF VIETNAM. INDIVIDUAL REFUGEES MENTIONED IN CHINESE REPORTS ARE SAID TO COME BOTH FROM THE NORTH AND FROM HO CHI MINH CITY.
CONFIDENTIAL
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