SECRET
FM FCO
TO DESKBY 07010OZ
HONG KONG
TELNO 1450
OF 06170OZ JUNE 88
SECRET
239
105315
MDHOAN 7525
HKD 243/8
0293/8
DIST
Q DIST
MIPT AND YOUR TEL NO 2181:
WATCHMAN.
1.
VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE: OPERATION
OUR PROPOSED VERSION OF THE SPEAKING NOTE FOR USE WITH US,
AUSTRALIA AND JAPAN FOLLOW:
CANADA,
BEGINS
(A) SINCE 1975 HONG KONG HAS GIVEN TEMPORARY ASYLUM TO NEARLY 12U,JOU BOAT PEOPLE. NONE HAS EVER BEEN TURNED AWAY. 15,542 OF
THESE ACTUALLY RESETTLED IN HONG
KONG. CONTINUING PROGRAMME OF LOCAL RESETTLEMENT.
(B) INITIALLY RESETTLEMENT KEPT PACE WITH ARRIVALS (SEE
BACKGROUND NOTES FOR DETAILS). BUT AS ARRIVALS HAVE RISEN IN RECENT YEARS, RESETTLEMENT HAS CONTINUED TO FALL. (SEE BACKGROUND NOTES). LAST YEAR'S ARRIVALS WERE UP BY 65 PER CENT
ON THE YEAR BEFORE: DEPARTURES DOWN BY 42 PER CENT.
(C) TOTAL POPULATION NOW OVER 15,000 (6 JUNE) COMPARED WITH ABOUT 8,000 ONE YEAR AGO. THIS YEAR MORE THAN 6,000 ARRIVALS, AS COMNPARED WITH 1,000 RESETTLEMENT DEPARTURES.99 PERCENT OF
ARRIVALS ETHNIC VIETNAMESE: 65-70 PER CENT FROM NORTH VIETNAM.
MOSTLY FARMERS AND FISHERMEN SEEKING A BETTER LIFE.
A SIGNIFICANT FACTOR AFFECTING
(D) HONG KONG A SMALL, OVERCROWDED TERRITORITY. RESOURCES NOW
STRETCHED TO THE LIMIT. LOCAL PRESSURE FOR CHANGE IS MOUNTING
AND CANNOT BE IGNORED. DISMAY AND ALARM AT SPIRALLING VIETNAMESE
BOAT PEOPLE POPULATION.
LOCAL
ATTITUDES IS CONTINUING PRESSURE OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION FROM CHINA. THESE PEOPLE, MANY WITH CLOSE CONNECTIONS IN HONG KONG, ARE ALL REPATRIATED: RECENTLY AT A RATE OF ABOUT 100 PER DAY.
RESENTMENT THAT THOSE ARRIVING FROM VIETNAM WITH NO HONG KONG
CONNECTIONS ARE TREATED DIFFERENTLY.
(E) WITH THE SHARP DROP IN RESETTLEMENT PROSPECTS AND CONTINUING
SHARP INCREASE OF ARRIVALS (WHICH CAN BE EXPECTED TO ESCALATE
EVEN FURTHER DURING THE SUMMER WITH THE CHANGE TO FAVOURABLE WINDS),
CANNOT SIMPLY PERSIST WITH EXISTING POLICY OF TREATING
ALL ARRIVALS AS THOUGH THEY WERE GENUINE REFUGEES.
(F) THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT HAVE REVIEWED POLICY OPTIONS IN
CLOSE CONSULTATION WITH HMG. WE ARE BOTH VERY CONSCIOUS OF OUR
RESPONSIBILITIES TO GENUINE REFUGEES. FOR SOME TIME NOW IT HAS
BEEN OUR VIEW THAT THOSE THAT LEAVE VIETNAM FOR ESSENTIALLY
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