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CONFIDENTIAL
DZ4244
MDHIAN 812
3=
THE
ALTHOUGH SOME GROUPS OF RECENT VBP ARRIVALS HAVE REPORTED THAT
CHINESE OFFICIALS HAVE REFUSED ASSISTANCE TO GROUPS TRAVELLING TO HONG KONG, OTHERS HAVE REPORTED THAT ASSISTANCE WAS PROVIDED. FOLLOWING REPORTS MIGHT BE HELPFUL TO THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES IN
IDENTIFYING THE PROBLEM AREAS.
(A) ON 15 FEBRUARY, TWO GROUPS TOTALLING 128 VBPS ARRIVED IN HONG KONG. THE FIRST GROUP OF 37 LEFT VIETNAM IN LATE DECEMBER 1988 AND REACHED BEIHAI ON 8 JANUARY. THEY DID NOT APPARENTLY RECEIVE ASSISTANCE FROM CHINESE OFFICIALS BUT THEY WERE ABLT TO REPLENISH THEIR SUPPLIES AND THEY LEFT BEIHAI ON 23 JANUARY. THEY STOPPED SEVERAL TIMES ALONG THE COAST BEFORE REACHING HONG KONG
VIA MACAU ON 15 FEBRUARY. A NUMBER OF THIS GROUP CLAIMED TO HAVE HAD NO KNOWLEDGE OF HONG KONG'S SCREENING POLICY DESPITE THE FACT THAT OTHER MEMBERS WERE AWARE OF IT.
THEY
(B) THE SECOND GROUP OF 91 LEFT HAIPHONG ON 6 JANUARY AND SAILED TO BEIHAI. THEY WERE EXAMINED BY CHINESE OFFICIALS WHO INFORMED THEM OF HONG KONG'S NEW POLICY. THEY DID NOT RECEIVE ASSISTANCE TO REPLENISH THEIR SUPPLIED FROM CHINESE OFFICIALS.
LEFT BEHAI FOR LIUSHA WHERE THEY STAYED UNTIL 5 FEBRUARY. THEIR BOAT WAS REPAIRED AT LUISHA. THEY CLAIM TO HAVE PASSED FIVE MORE CHINESE PORTS BEFORE REACHING HONG KONG VIA MACAU ON 15 FEBRUARY.
(C) MEMBERS OF THESE TWO GROUPS SENT LETTERS FROM CHINA REPORTING THEIR PROGRESS TO HONG KONG. THE HONG KONG AUTHORITIES BECAME AWARE OF THEIR IMPENDING ARRIVAL TWO DAYS IN ADVANCE FROM INFORMATION GAINED IN THE CAMPS FROM THESE LETTERS.
(D) TWO GROUPS TOTALLING 83 VBPS WHO ARRIVED ON 21 AND 24 FEBRUARY INFORMED US THAT THEY WERE INSPECTED BY CHINESE OFFICIALS AT VARIOUS STOPS BUT WERE REFUSED ASSISTANCE. HOWEVER, THEY WERE ABLE TO TAKE UP ODD JOBS ALONG THE CHINESE COAST AND TO BUY REPLENISMENTS. ONE GROUP PAID 0.4 TAEL OF GOLD PER HEAD TO A CHINESE GUIDE WHO TOOK THEM TO THE CHINESE/MACAU BORDER BY LAND.
(E) ONE VBP BOAT ARRIVED IN HONG KONG ON 15 MARCH WITH 99 ON BOARD. THEY COMPRISED 3 GROUPS. THE MAIN GROUP OF 83 LEFT HOPBAI IN VIETNAM ON 22 FEBRUARY. DURING A STOP AT BEI HAI CHINESE OFFICIALS ARRANGED FOR TWO MORE GROUPS TOTALLING 16 PEOPLE TO JOIN THEM. THE ENLARGED GROUP THEN SET OUT FOR HONG KONG CALLING AT HAI NAN, NAO ZHOU AND SHENG CHUON DOA WHERE THEY WERE NOT EXAMINED BY CHINESE OFFICIALS.
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PAGE CONFIDENTIAL