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5. MOST OF THE RECENT ARRIVALS SEEM TO HAVE TRAVELLED FROM GUANGXI TO
TAI PING IN GUANGDONG ON THE PEARL RIVER (ONE DAY BY BUS), WHERE THEY
HAVE BOUGHT JUNKS FOR THE JOURNEY TO HONG KONG. IT IS AN EASY SIX
HOUR JOURNEY DOWNRIVER FROM TAI PING TO HONG KONG.
6. WE HOPE THAT EARLY ACTION CAN BE TAKEN TO COUNTER THESE MISLEADING
RUMOURS IN ORDER TO MAKE IT CLEAR THAT VIETNAMESE RESETTLED IN CHINA WHO ATTEMPT TO COME TO HONG KONG HAVE NO, REPEAT NO, PROSPECT OF BEING GIVEN REFUGEE STATUS. THEY WILL NOT, REPEAT NOT, HAVE ACCESS TO RESETTLEMENT. THE ONLY REOSPECT THEY FACE IS BEING DETAINED AS
ILLEGAL ENTRANTS PENDING RETURN TO THE PLACES THEY HAVE COME FROM.
THERE CAN BE NO QUESTION OF A POLICY OF (QUOTE) LIBERALISATION (UNQUOTE) (IE ALLOWING SOME REFUGEES WHO HAVE BEEN IN HONG KONG A LONG TIME THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK PENDING RESETTLEMENT ELSEWHERE) BEING
APPLIED TO THOSE WHO HAVE ALREADY BEEN SETTLED IN CHINA.
7. FOLLOWING LAST YEAR'S INFLUX, AND AN EXCHANGE OF MESSAGES BETWEEN FOREIGN MINISTERS, THE FOREIGN AFFAIRS OFFICE OF GUANGDONG PROVINCE AND OFFICIALS FROM THE GUANGXI ZHUANG AUTONOMOUS REGION MET OFFICIALS
FROM THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT TO DISCUSS REPATRIATION ARRANGEMENTS.
A SEVEN POINT UNDERSTANDING WAS DRAWN UP TO COVER THE REPATRIATION OF
VIETNAMESE SETTLED IN CHINA COMING ILLEGALLY TO HONG KONG. WE WERE GRATEFUL FOR AGREEMENT ON THEIR ARRANGEMENT. THEY HAVE WORKED WELL.
WE HOPE TO SEE THEM AGAIN TO DEAL WITH THE PROBLEM OF THESE LATEST ARRIVALS. WE BELIEVE THAT THE MOST EFFECTIVE MEANS OF SQUASHING THE RUMOURS AND PREVENTING A REPEAT OF THE SUBSTANTIAL MOVEMENTS OF PEOPLE WHICH OCCURED LAST YEAR WILL BE THE QUICK RETURN OF NEW
ARRIVALS.
ENDS.
2. MIFT CONTAINS THE TEXT OF THE 1987 UNDERSTANDING. THE CHINESE CHARACTERS FOR THE TOWNS IN PARAGRAPH 4 OF THE SPEAKING NOTE HAVE
BEEN SENT BY FAX TO PEKING.
WILSON
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