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R03 1643 14/06/88
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refugees, most of whom have been of Chinese ethnic origin.
the territory.
Continues to allow approximately 250 a year to settle permanently in
Following the Geneva conference of 1979 on the
problems arising from Vietnamese boat people, Hong Kong, like other
Vietnam countries in South East Asia, enjoyed a temporary respite.
was persuaded to establish an Orderly Departure Programme under the
auspices of the United Nations High Commission for Refugees which
allowed Vietnamese to leave their country legally. Moreover
resettlement countries took large quotas of refugees from Hong Kong
and South East Asia.
For Hong Kong, however, as a colonial territory, there have
always been particular problems. Hong Kong has not had the political
weight internationally that indepednet countries like Thailand enjoy
with the major resettlement countries such as the United States,
Canada and Australia.
Increasingly these countries have felt that
Hong Kong was Britain's responsibility and it should give the lead on
resettling refugees from the territory, Although Britain has taken
13,000 refugees from Hong Kong for resettlement in the U.K. since
1975, the numbers accepted have been declining sharply. For the two-
year period beginning May 1987, the number accepted will be 468.
Hong Kong already began to take a tougher line towards
Vietnamese boat people in 1982 when it announced the establishment of
closed camps where refugees have been held in tough conditions
pending resettlement. This policy has often been criticised by
humanitarian organizations. However under the new policy to be
implemented from 16th June, all Vietnamese boat people arriving in
Hong Kong will be screened and those deemed not genuine refugees will