rel gee status. From 16 June 1988, all boat people
arriving in Hong Kong from Vietnam have been subject to a
screening procedure to determine their status as either
genuine refugees or economic migrants. New arrivals are
therefore no longer automatically given refugee status. Those who are found to be genuine refugees will be moved
to a refugee camp to await resettlement overseas. Those
who do not qualify as refugees will not have access to
It is clear that their future lies in
resettlement.
Vietnam and that it is right to work for acceptable
arrangments to this end including satisfactory safeguards
for their treatment on return. Such arrangements would
be in line with the Hong Kong Government's policy that all illegal immigrants, whichever country they come from, should be repatriated as soon as possible.
Illegal
immigrants from China are regularly and promptly
repatriated to China.
A
42. Hong Kong has adopted internationally established
procedures for determining refugee status, as set out in
the 1951 Convention and the 1967 Protocol of the UNHCR.
The Hong Kong Government and the UNHCR have concluded a
Statement of Understanding on the establishment and
monitoring of the screening and appeals procedure.
scheme for the provision of legal advice has been
arranged to assist boat people to prepare appeals against
decisions to refuse them refugee status. In October, the
British Government announced a contribution of £1 million
towards the UNHCR's programme for Vietnamese boat people
in Hong Kong.