CONFIDENTIAL
that of illega iamigrants from China, with whom they have close
family, cultural and ethnic
financial and other resources
ties.
They are critical of th
allocated to Vietnamese refugees a
their expense.
(d)
8.
Although i t
The closed camp policy is
the only measure that the Hong Konį have been able to implement to deter Vietname se fror
by по me ans provides
Government
travelling to Hong Kong.
complete answer to the problem (refugees continue to arrive), anc has itself created new problems, the Hong Kong Government consider that
advantages of the policy decisively outweigh the disadvantages and that this policy of deterrence must continue.
the
9. The Hong Kong Government
is
believes that по lasting solution will
be found until the flow of refugees from Vietnam is stopped. Until found to do this, the Hong Kong Government must
the understanding reached at the 1979 Geneva
should be resettled internationally from
some means
continue to rely
Conference that refugees
countries of first asylum.
IV
PROBLEMS OVER RESETTLEMENT
After
10.
Of the 58,543 Vietnamese who arrived in Hong Kong in the first half of 1979, 84% were ethnic Chinese. They were considered by resettlement countries to fall under the accepted definition of "refugees"* through their persecution for reasons of race. 1979 however the proportion of ethnic Chinese arriving in Hong Kong dropped to 2-3%. Initially most
of the ethnic Vietnamese arriving from South Vietnam; they were readily accepted by as refugees, on grounds of political persecution. 1983 however the proportion of Northerners steadily
THIS IS A COPY THE ORIGINAL HAS BEEN CLOSED FOR
in Hong Kong were
Western countries
Between 1980 and
CONFIDENTIAL
40 YEARS UNDER FOI EXEMPTION No..... 2770), #