a
CUNT TDENTIAL
2
VIETNAMESE REFUGEES IN HONG KONG
4. On 21 July there were still 38,721 Vietnamese refugees in
Hong Kong. The rate of off-take from Hong Kong is the slowest of
all countries of first asylum in the region, due largely to Hong
Kong's humanitarian policy, which compares favourably with its South-East Asian neighbours. As a result, many resettlement
countries give priority to refugees from elsewhere. The net off-
take has been particularly slow in recent weeks due to an increase
in the rate of arrivals.
UK/HONG KONG AIR SERVICES
5.
Mr Nott's decision announced on 18 June to license all four
applicants on the London to Hong Kong route (British Airways, the
former sole carrier, British Caledonian, Cathay Pacific and Laker)
has been generally welcomed in Hong Kong and has alleviated the
resentment caused by the CAA's decision to license only British
Caledonian in addition to British Airways. (The Hong Kong Air
Transport Licensing Authority had earlier awarded a license to both
BCal and Cathay Pacific.)
VISIT BY LORD CARRINGTON TO THE FAR EAST
5. The Secretary of State will be in Hong Kong from 26 to 28
September, as part of a visit to the Far East (China and Japan).
This has not yet been announced.
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
24 July 1980
IDENTIAL