Ain
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELNO 2592
CONFIDENTIAL
OF 06113OZ JULY 88
INFO PRIORITY PEKING, WASHINGTON, HANOI
(442)
462
HKD 243/8
RECEIVED
- 7 JUL 1988
ር ር
P^.
030025
MDLIAN 0674
45
YOUR TELNO 1759, PEKING TELNO 1175 AND YOUR TELNO 63 TO PEKING: VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE: COAST HOPPING TO SOUTH CHINA
1. THE POLITICAL ADVISER SPOKE TO JI SHAOXIANG OF NCNA ON 5 JULY.
HE REFERRED TO THE RECENT MINISTERIAL EXCHANGES, PARTICULARLY THAT BETWEEN LORD GLENARTHUR AND QIAN QICHEN. HE BRIEFED JI ON THE
LATEST SITUATION ON ARRIVALS AND ON THE POSITION AS REGARDS
COAST-HOPPING AS IT HAD EMERGED FROM DE-BRIEFINGS. HE STRESSED THE
KEY IMPORTANCE OF GETTING THE MESSAGE ABOUT HONG KONG'S CHANGED
POLICY THROUGH TO BOAT PEOPLE AT THE EARLIEST POSSIBLE MOMENT AND
A SKED FOR THIS TO BE SPELT OUT CLEARLY BY THE LOCAL CHINESE
AUTHORITIES.
2. CLIFT GAVE JI COPIES OF THE MESSAGE GIVEN TO ARRIVALS IN HONG
KONG AND THE ENCLOSURE WHICH IS SENT IN LETTERS FROM BOAT PEOPLE HERE TO RELATIVES IN VIETNAM. HE TOLD JI THAT, DESPITE EVIDENCE OF A CHANGE IN SOME PLACES IT APPEARED THAT ASSISTANCE WAS STILL
BEING GIVEN TO PEOPLE ARRIVING IN CHINESE PORTS. HE ASKED THAT SUCH
ASSISTANCE SHOULD BE KEPT TO THE MINIMUM (COMMENSURATE WITH
HUMANITARIAN PURPOSES). WE ALSO HOPED, THOUGH IT WAS TOO EARLY TO BE SURE, THAT TWO PRACTICES WERE CEASING:
(A) THE EMBARKATION IN CHINESE PORTS ON VIETNAMESE BOATS OF
BOAT PEOPLE WHO HAD ARRIVED EARLIER BUT WHOSE BOATS HAD BEEN WRECKED.
(B) THE ISSUE OF LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION TO BOAT MASTERS
ADDRESSED TO THE AUTHORITIES AT THE NEXT PORT TO THE EAST I.E.
IN THE DIRECTION OF HONG KONG.
3. JI UNDERTOOK TO PASS ON THE MESSAGE. HE CONFIRMED THAT THE
CHINESE AUTHORITIES TOOK THE PROBLEM SERIOUSLY AND WISHED OUR
CHANGE OF POLICY SUCCESS. HE SAID THAT NEVERTHELESS IT WAS VERY
DIFFICULT TO DISCOURAGE BOAT PEOPLE FROM COMING. UNTIL THEY SAW
THAT OTHERS WERE ACTUALLY BEING REPATRIATED THEY WOULD NOT BELIEVE
THAT THE CHANGE MEANT MUCH. HE ALSO SAID IT WAS DIFFICULT FOR
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