CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 1077
OF 03120OZ APRIL 89
INFO IMMEDIATE UKMIS GENEVA
INFO PRIORITY PEKING, HANOI
CONFIDENTIAL
111107
MED 243/9
MDHIAN 8983
?
(13)
MY 2ND IPT: VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE IN HONG KONG : COAST HOPPING
OUR RESPONSES TO DATE TO CHINESE EXPRESSIONS OF CONCERN OVER OUR VBP POLICY HAVE BEEN TO EXPLAIN OUR OBJECTIVES AND TO REQUEST CHINESE CO-OPERATION ON COAST HOPPING. THERE IS SOME EVIDENCE THAT PRC OFFICIALS IN THE SOUTHERN PORTS ARE WITHHOLDING ASSISTANCE BUT IN OTHER CASES ASSISTANCE IS STILL BEING PROVIDED AND IN MORE THAN ONE CASE VBPS HAVE SAID THAT FOR PART OF THEIR JOURNEY THEY TRAVELLED OVERLAND IN CHINA ON THE WAY TO HONG KONG. WE SHALL CONTINUE TO PROVIDE INFORMATION FOR USE IN PEKING OR WITH THE NCNA HERE WHENEVER WE FIND INSTANCES OF OFFICIAL ASSISTANCE BUT THIS SEEMS LIKELY TO MAKE VERY LITTLE DIFFERENCE TO THE ARRIVAL RATE. BUT IN VIEW OF THE PATTERN OF RECENT ARRIVALS, WE NEED TO SEEK OTHER MEANS OF OBLIGING THE CHINESE TO TAKE THE ISSUE SERIOUSLY.
2.
WE HAVE THEREFORE BEEN CONSIDERING WHAT FURTHER ACTION WE MIGHT ASK THE PRC TO TAKE. WE DO NOT BELIEVE THAT THE CHINESE COULD BE ASKED SIMPLY TO DETAIN VBP ONCE THEY ENTER CHINESE TERRITORIAL WATERS OR PUT INTO A CHINESE PORT. THESE PEOPLE ARE NOT SEEKING ASYLUM IN CHINA AND OUTRIGHT DETENTION WOULD RUN COUNTER TO THE PROCEDURES BEING DEVELOPED IN THE CONTEXT OF THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN OF ACTION (CPA) AND THE PROPOSED GENEVA CONFERENCE. WHATEVER PROPOSAL WE PUT TO THE CHINESE SHOULD BE BASED ON THE CPA FRAMEWORK.
3.
ONE POSSIBILITY WOULD BE A VARIANT OF THE REGIONAL HOLDING CENTRE CONCEPT. THIS IS A LONG STANDING ASEAN PROPOSAL WHICH THE CURRENT DRAFT OF THE CPA ENVISAGES AS AN INTERMEDIATE STEP TOWARDS THE REPATRIATION OF THOSE SCREENED OUT. WE HAVE DOUBTS ABOUT THE ASEAN CONCEPT SIMPLY BECAUSE OF THE DIFFICULTY OF GETTING AN ASEAN COUNTRY TO OFFER A SITE. BUT WE BELIEVE IT WOULD BE WORTH EXPLORING THE IDEA OF A SOUTH CHINA HOLDING CENTRE FOR UNSCREENED VBP. THE CONCEPT WOULD BE THAT ALL VBP ARRIVALS IN HONG KONG WOULD BE MOVED TO A SOUTH CHINA HOLDING CENTRE WHICH MIGHT BE LOCATED NEAR BEI HAI OR ON HAI NAN ISLAND. VBP WHO CALL AT CHINESE PORTS MIGHT ALSO BE BE TAKEN TO THE HOLDING CENTRE PROVIDED UNHCR COULD BE PURSUADED TO
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CONFIDENTIAL