·
CONFIDENTIAL
GRS 850
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG Ø51110Z JUNE 80
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELEGRAM NUMBER 734 OF 5 JUNE
AND TO UKMIS GENEVA
AKK 243/4
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY NO. 51 0 6 JUN 1980
DESK OFFICER
REGISTRY
Action Taken
INFO ROUTINE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON MODUK (DS11)
WASHINGTON PEKING
INFO SAVING
Awbly
PA
44
see
46
HANOI UKMIS NEW YORK MANILA JAKARTA KUALA LUMPUR SINGAPORE BANGKOK
LISBON OTTAWA BONN PARIS
VIETNAMESE REFUGEES IN HONG KONG: CHINESE DEVELOPMENTS..
NICK 2431 (w
1. THE MAY FIGURES (MY TELNO 729) SUGGEST A GREATER INCREASE IN
DIRECT ARRIVALS FROM VIETNAM THAN IS THE CASE. OF THE 1,400 ALL ARRIVALS, 416 CAME ON SMALL BOATS FROM SOUTHERN VIETNAM, DEPARTURES BEING CLANDESTINE AND VIRTUALLY ALL FROM VILLAGES NEAR.
DANANG AND HUE. 219 WERE RESECUED BY 4 OCEAN-GOING VESSELS. WE BELIEVE THE REMAINING 765 ALL CAME FROM PLACES WHERE THEY HAD BEEN SETTLED IN CHINA, MOST ARRIVING ON 5 MOTORIZED BOATS FROM PING SHA (ABOUT 30 MILES WEST OF MACAU) BETWEEN 17 AND 30 MAY. AMONGST THE ARRIVALS FROM PING SHA WE HAVE SO FAR IDENTIFIED 25 WHO HAD ALREADY BEEN REPATRITED TO CHINA IN JANUARY.
2. WE REPORTED THESE DEVELOPMENTS TO THE NCNA ASKING FOR URGENT ACTION. THE POLITICAL ADVISER SPOKE SIMILARLY IN GUANGZHOU ON 28 MAY. THERE IS SOME EVIDENCE THAT AT LEAST A TEMPORARY CURB HAS BEEN PUT ON THIS OUTFLOW. ONE OF THE CAUSES
OF THIS RESURGENCE (THE LAST CHINA BOAT ARRIVAL WAS ON 24 FEBRUARY)
HAS BEEN THE EXPLOITATION OF THE LOOPHOLE PROVIDED BY MACAU, WHICH LACKS THE RESOURCES FOR THE DETAILED INVESTIGATIONS CONDUCTED HERE AND HAS THEREFORE MADE NO ATTEMPT TO ARRANGE REPATRIATION TO CHINA. THERE WERE 1,618 ARRIVALS IN MACAU IN APRIL AND MAY (1,217 IN MAY) AND WE BELIEVE FROM 600 TO 1,000 OF THESE HAVE COME FROM CHINA. SOME OF THE BOATS WERE DELIBERATELY DAMAGED ON ARRIVAL, WE BELIEVE IN ORDER TO PREVENT THE MACAU POLICE FROM DIRECTING THEM TOWARDS HONG KONG (WHICH REFUGEES DIRECT FROM VIETNAM PREFER AS A DESTINATION). A FURTHER FACTOR HAS BEEN CHINESE DELAY IN AGREEING TO FURTHER REPATRIATIONS FROM HONG KONG, LEAVING REFUGEES IN CHINA TO HOPE THAT EVEN IF THEY ARE KEPT IN DETENTION ON ARRIVAL HERE THEY MAY EVENTUALLY BE RESETTLED.
3. THE NCNA HAVE SAID THEY WILL SUPPORT OUR SUGGESTION THAT FURTHER REPATRIATIONS SHOULD BE ARRANGED SOON, ESPECIALLY OF THOSE
WHO HAVE COME TWICE.
CONFIDENTIAL
/ 4. THE NCNA
49