359
GR 655
UNCLASSIFIED
FM HONG KONG 1297052 FEB 79
TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON
TELNO.131 OF 12 FEBRUARY.
}
FOR BRAY FROM GOVERNOR.
TOP COPT
MKK 243/1
VED IN REGISTRY NO. 51
13 FEB 1979
YOUR TELNO.161 AND MY TELNO.130.
PODA
No
га
Action
RY
an
ar
Jisiz QE
1. I HAVE STILL NOT RECEIVED ELTON'S LETTER. HE RANG THIS MORNING WHEN I WAS OUT, AND ASKED THAT ANY COMMENTS OF MINE SHOULD BE PASSED TO HIM THROUGH YOU.
2. PLEASE TELL HIM THAT THE GRAVITY OF THE SITUATION DOES NOT SEEM TO BE PROPERLY UNDERSTOOD, AT LEAST BY THE PRESS AND PUBLIC. THE SALIENT POINTS ARE:-
(A) THE WAVE OF REFUGEES IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE DEFEAT OF THE SOUTH, NUMBERING ABOUT 300,000 WAS WELL DEALT WITH BY THE UNKCR AND BY HOST COUNTRIES, PARTICULARLY OF COURSE AMERICA, BUT ALSO SOME OTHERS, PARTICULARLY FRANCE. EVEN SO IT TOOK THREE YEARS FOR THE LAST OF SUCH REFUGEES BEING CARED FOR IN
HONG KONG TO BE RESETTLED.
B) BUT A FURTHER WAVE OF FLIGHT FROM VIETNAM HAS NOW BEEN PROVOKED BY THE SEVERITY OF SOCIALISATION POLICIES AND BY THE FAILURE OF THE NEW ECONOMIC ZONES IN THE MEKONG DELTA TO WHICH SO MANY PEOPLE FROM SAIGON WERE SENT AND HAVE NOW DRIFTED BACK AGAIN. THIS APPLIES BOTH TO ETHNIC VIETNAMESE AND CHINESE.
(C) IN ADDITION PRESSURE TO GET OUT IS ON THE ETHNIC CHINESE POPULATION BOTH BECAUSE OF ITS RESISTANCE TO SOCIALISATION (THEY ARE MOSTLY ENTREPRENEURS), ETHNIC HOSTILITY ON THE PART OF THE VIETNAMESE, AND FEAR OF WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO THEM (OR OF THE SECURITY RISK THEY MAY REPRESENT) IN CASE OF WORSENING SINO/VIETNAMESE RELATIONS.
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