I
CONFIDENTIAL
From :
MEMO
Commissioner of Police (DSB) To: Secretary for Security
Ref : (129) in SF/404-124
Tel
5-284284 Ext. 204
Date : 10th June 1982
Information from Vietnamese Refugees
(L/M 1558, 1562, 1626, 1642 and 1648)
I attach two copies of a composite report from members of the above mentioned groups. Each of these groups was made up of refugees from different geographical regions of Vietnam who had left that country at varying dates in 1981 and 1982. All spent some time in the southern Chinese port of Zhanjiang (3277/3068) Guangdong Province, where most were accommodated for at least some of their stay in an overseas Chinese hostel managed by Chinese People's
Some were Government staff connected to the Overseas Chinese Affairs Office. provided with long-term accommodation and, in one case, with a sailing vessel for their onward journey to Hong Kong.
Some of the refugees noted that several Vietnamese Chinese who had resettled on overseas Chinese farms were also resident at this hostel, apparently waiting for an opportunity to leave China.
2.
3.
None of the refugees has admitted to having been resettled in China prior to arrival in Hong Kong, and each maintains the same story regarding dates and methods of departures from Vietnam and the circumstances surrounding the stay in Zhanjiang. However, the failure of many of the members of these groups to pass a Vietnamese Knowledge Test and the many discrepancies in journey descriptions and departure details indicate that among these arrivals are a large number of Ex-China Vietnamese Illegal Immigrants (ECVIIs).
4.
On this point the report is inconclusive, and further investigations by Special Branch are unlikely to be productive. The implication, however, is that Chinese officials in both Guangzhou and Zhanjiang appear to be involved. in introducing ECVIIS into otherwise genuine groups of refugees. Many of the refugees interviewed appeared frightened, but whether of repercussions from possible ECVIIs amongst them or of repatriation to China, or some other factor, it is hard to tell. Cover stories maintained by the suspected ECVIIs were well thought out and quite obviously rehearsed, and to achieve the very limited results of this investigation has proved to be a time-consuming process.
C.C.
Political Adviser (3) Director of Immigration Head of Service Intelligence
(P. Davies)
for Director of Special Branch for Commissioner of Police
PD/TLP/GNS/CONFIDENTIAL
SAFE CARE REGISINY
4 JUN 1982
1792
PARE UNITER