in August 1978. However, we may have to include any
refugees which we accept after rescue by UK ship within our
overall commitment.
Among all the Representatives here present I am in a
unique position in approaching this problem, since the
United Kingdom is a country both of final resettlement, and,
in the territories of Hong Kong, of first asylum. Hong Kong,
with a population of
million in an area of hectares,
has seen the sharpest rise in the number of refugees in the
first half of this year of any of the coasts reached by the
by the boat people. From 1 January to 30 June 58,543
new refugees arrived: only 1,582 left. On 30 June 58,935
awaited resettlement. The latest figure I have is
Hong Kong will spend $US 100 million on Vietnamese refugees
in 1979. Resources in Hong Kong are stretched to the utmost.
But so far it has accepted all comers, and I hope that it
will be able to continue to do so. I am confident that as
the High Commissioner and his staff adjust to the new balance
of refugees, and strengthen their ability to process
refugees in Hong Kong, the rate of resettlement from Hong Kon
will rise to an appropriate balance with that from Indonesia,
Malaysia and Thailand, and other states of first asylum.
However, because of the pea acute situation in
Hong Kong, and the need to make an immediate impact on the
rapidly rising numbers there, my Government has decided to
allocate to Hong Kong the additional ten thousand places
which we are making available. The Government of Hong Kong
has also offered to acept for permanent settlement
ten thousand of those who have reached it direct from
Vietnam.
These commitments, which will of course depend on
/the willingness