ALJABL
CONFIDENTIAL
CABINET MEETING:
13 APRIL
VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE IN HONG KONG
1.
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Sharp increase in number of Vietnamese boat people arriving in
Hong Kong this year: total so far already 2,064 up 124% over corresponding period in 1988. Now over 27,000 boat people in Hong
Kong.
2.
Very concerned about prospect of major new influx this summer. Last year 18,000 arrivals. On present trends this year's total will be substantially higher. That would impose enormous additional
burden on Hong Kong. Could lead to major political crisis in
territory.
Hong Kong will look to Britain for support. We can help in immediate/short term: by
3.
by pressing Vietnamese to take more effective measures to prevent boat people leaving Vietnam (but in practice our leverage on the
Vietnamese is limited).
VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE KHONGKONG
by urging the Chinese to stop giving assistance to coast hoppers
en route for Hong Kong.
Governor has asked HMG to make a financial contribution (£4
million) to cost of providing emergency accommodation for new arrivals. We should try to respond positively.
4. Voluntary repatriation down to a trickle: 75 went back in
March, some 250 in pipeline. More may step forward, but cannot
provide a comprehensive solution to problem.
5.
Ultimately, only effective way of deterring further departures would be to introduce mandatory repatriation. Not an appealing
prospect, but a lesser evil than the indefinite detention in camps
in Hong Kong of tens of thousands of boat people with no chance of resettlement in the West. Believe we must grasp this nettle now
We are looking at this urgently.
CONF IDENTIAL