CONFIDENTIAL
(i)
8
(ii)
5.
They accept for permanent settlement only those who are spouses, dependent children or dependent elderly parents of people who were already permanent residents in the territory before 1975.
(Exceptions have been made on humanitarian grounds - especially for those who were in Hong Kong at the time of the Communist takeover in South Vietnam in 1975 and who had nowhere else to go - but it is unlikely that many more exceptions will be made in the future);
they have up to now also accepted temporarily pending resettlement in third countries all those who arrive in Hong Kong in their own small boats and all who are picked up at sea by vessels for whom Hong Kong is the next scheduled port of call. (Again there have been exceptions - notably in the case of the Hue Fong - but it is unlikely that there will be many more in future it is more likely that the rules will be tightened).
The Hong Kong Government have also given a commitment to accept any refugees that are picked up in Hong Kong registered vessels if they cannot be resettled elsewhere, though as far as I am aware no case involving Kong registered ship has yet arisen.
a Hong
7 June 1979
WE Quantrill