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entered Hong Kong illegally after resettlement in China and are
to be repatriated to China. There are, however, some signs of
a renewed outflow from Vietnam although Malaysia and Thailand are
still taking the brunt of it. At the same time, numbers from China
arriving in Macao and Hong Kong have greatly increased in recent
weeks. Action is being taken with the Chinese.
13. UK quota of 10,000 agreed at Geneva in 1979 has not
14.
yet been filled. Hong Kong is concerned that UK commitment should
continue so that other countires, especially the US, maintain own
resettlement programmes. Prime Minister has made it clear that
in present circumstances a further quota is out of the question.
There have recently been two rescues at sea of substantial
numbers of refugees by British-registered ships making for Hong Kong.
We have had to tell Hong Kong that while these refugees can be
accepted in the UK they must be included in the remainder of the
10,000 UK quota. The political atmosphere here would not allow them
to be excluded from the quota. Hong Kong will find this difficult
to accept.
We shall need to reassure the Governor that we will press
Hong Kong's interests.strongly on ways of tackling ship rescues once
the quota is exhausted.
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Hong Kong and General Department
22 June 1981
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