CONFIDENTIAL
283
125252
MDHOAN 7947
CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO
TO IMMEDIATE PEKING
TELNO 514
OF 10140OZ JUNE 88
INFO ROUTINE HONG KONG, UKMIS GENEVA
OUR TELNOS 132 AND 133 TO ATHENS
VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE: CHANGE OF POLICY
1. SPEAKING NOTE FOR USE WITH CHINA.
2. (A)-(C) AS IN SECOND TUR
& LSIG O ADOO DOL
MKD 243/8
(D) HONG KONG SMALL AND OVERCROWDED. CHINESE WELL AWARE OF
MOUNTING LOCAL CONCERN AND SEVERE PRACTICAL PROBLEMS.
DIFFICULTIES EXACERBATED BY COMPARISON OF TREATMENT OF VIETNAMESE
ARRIVALS WITH THAT OF CHINESE ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS.
(E)-(K) AS IN SECOND TUR
(L) GRATEFUL IF CHINESE AUTHORITIES CO-OPERATE BY
ENSURING THAT ALL VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE ARE TOLD CLEARLY, IF THEY LAND IN CHINA, THAT THEY SHOULD NOT ATTEMPT TO GO ON TO HONG KONG WHERE THEY WILL BE TREATED ON ARRIVAL AS ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS WHO HAVE NO CHANCE OF RESETTLEMENT. GRATEFUL IF THEY COULD BE ENCOURAGED TO RETURN TO VIETNAM AND NOT ASSISTED IN TRYING TO GO
ILLEGALLY TO HONG KONG.
(M) SECRETARY OF STATE'S MEETING WITH QIAN QICHEN IN NEW
YORK. USEFUL EXCHANGE ON VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE. IDENTITY OF
VIEW ON REPATRIATION TO VIETNAM AS DURABLE SOLUTION.
BACKGROUND
3. THE ROUTES TAKEN BY THE BOAT PEOPLE TO REACH HONG KONG
INVOLVE COAST-HOPPING ALONG THE COAST OF CHINA. EVIDENCE OF
WIDESPREAD ASSISTANCE TO BOAT PEOPLE BY OFFICIALS AND CITIZENS
IN CHINESE COASTAL PORTS: OUT OF 200 BOATS WHICH HAVE ARRIVED IN THE FIRST FIVE MONTHS OF THIS YEAR, 169 APPEAR CON THE BASIS OF OCCUPANTS' DEBRIEFING) TO HAVE RECEIVED ASSISTANCE RANGING FROM SHELTER, FOOD AND WATER TO NEW ENGINES AND EVEN NEW BOATS ALL PURCHASED FOR GOLD: PORTS OF BEIHAI AND ZHANJIANG PARTICULARLY FAVOURED: EVIDENCE (WHICH CAN BE PRODUCED) OF OFFICIALS GIVING A FORM OF WRITTEN QUOTE LAISSEZ PASSER UNQUOTE TO SOME BOATS REQUESTING OTHER PORTS FURTHER ALONG THE ROUTE TO RENDER THE QUOTE REFUGEES UNQUOTE ASSISTANCE AND LET THEM PROCEED ON THEIR WAY.
HOWE
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