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CONFIDENTIAL
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CONFIDENTIAL
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GRS 650 Fara(s)
FM HONG KONG 171605Z JUL 79
TO IMMEDIATE F C O
TELEGRAM NUMBER 1022 OF 17 JULY
INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING
INFO PRIORITY UKMIS GENEVA, WASHINGTON
INFO ROUTINE HONG KONG COVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON.
VIETNAMESE REFUGEES ARRIVING FROM CHINA.
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1. EARLIER THIS YEAR CHINA REFUSED TO ACCEPT BACK A LARGE GROUP OF REFUGEES FROM VIETNAME FOR WHOM WE HAD EVIDENCE THAT THEY HAD SPENT A CONSIDERABLE PERIOD IN CHINA (MY TELNO 330 OF 28 FEBRUARY). HOWEVER, THERE WERE SIGNS OF CHINA TAKING STEPS AS A RESULT OF OUR REPRESENTATIONS AND THE MFA TOLD THE EMBASSY IN PEKING THAT THEY THOUGHT THE FLOW WOULD SHORTLY DRY UP (SULLIVAN'S LETTER OF 26 FEBRUARY TO APA). THIS WAS CRUCIAL IN OUR
LONG BATTLE TO PEROUADE UNHCR THAT IF THEY ACCEPTED THESE REFUGEES THERE WOULD NOT BE MANY THOUSANDS MORE FROM CHINA.
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2. WE HAVE RECENTLY HAD EXTREMELY DISTURBING INDICATIONS THAT THE FLOW MAY HAVE RESUMED. IN PARTICULAR WE NOW HAVE EVIDENCE THAT A FLAT-BOTTOMED MOTORIZED RIVER BOAT, WHICH ARRIVED VIA MACAU
ON 11 JULY WITH 214 PEOPLE (ALL ETHNIC CHINESE), HAD COME FROM THE DA WANG (1129/2469) OVERSEAS CHINESE FARM ON THE NORTH RIVER,
WEST OF CANTON,
3. THE APA RAISED THIS WITH THE NCNA ON 16 JULY CITING STRONG CIRCUMSTANTIAL EVIDENCE, INCLUDING THE FACT THAT THE ENGINE BORE A STAMP ''MADE BY THE FOSHAN METAL MANUFACTURING COMPANY (IN THE PEARL RIVER DELTA AREA). HE ADDED THAT SOME OF THE REFUGEES
HAD ADMITTED BEING SETTLED ON THE FARM SINCE THE SUMMER OF 1978 AFTER CROSSING BY LAND FROM VIETNAM. THE REFUGEES HAD ALSO CLAIMED
THAT:
A. THE BOAT HAD BEEN PURCHASED FOR RMB 19,020 FROM QING YUAN (3237/6678) COMRUNE (ABOUT 20 MILES WORTH OF THE FARM):
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