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and June 3,800 arrests in 6 days to 31 October. Despite
further representations locally and in Peking, Chinese seem
unwilling or unable to take effective action.
Vietnamese Refugees
4. Essentially a separate problem. But some Vietnamese
refugees come to Hong Kong after having spent some time in
China. The Chinese have now agreed that where it is established
that refugees have spent long enough in China to be regarded as
having settled there, they may be treated as illegal immigrants
and returned to China. The first batch of some 700 were
returned in September
some 5,200 more (out of total of 63,000 refugees from Vietnam
still in Hong Kong). The Chinese say that they will be ready
to receive further groups in the next few weeks.
•
Hong Kong Government want to return
Property Leases in the New Territories
5.
Time fast approaching when expiry of New Territories Lease
in 1997 will begin to affect confidence. Chinese aware of this
and have been at pains to reassure local and foreign investors
that China satisfied with the status quo and has no early
intention to change it. This point made by Deng Xiaoping to
the Governor in March and again by Premier Hua at his press
conference on 7 October.
6. General assurances of this kind have had a favourable effect.
But cannot resolve legal and practical problems which arise from
fact that land leases in New Territories all due to end in 1997.
After discussions with the Governor and HM Ambassador, Peking,
we decided that best solution was to issue future leases in
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