CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
CONFIDENTIAL
HKD 243/21
TO
a
COPY DIST? DIST ?
TELNO 1143
OF 101245Z APRIL 89
INFO PRIORITY PEKING, UKMIS GENEVA
134727
MDHIAN 0113
VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE : COAST HOPPING
1. AGAINST THE BACKGROUND OF THE RECENT LARGE SCALE ARRIVALS OF VBPS WE HAVE CONSIDERED FURTHER WHAT FURTHER USEFUL APPROACHES MIGHT BE MADE TO THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES ON COAST HOPPING. DEBRIEFING OF RECENT ARRIVALS INDICATES THAT HELP BY LOCAL OFFICIALS
IN SOUTH CHINA CONTINUES. THE PRACTICE OF OFFICIALS ARRANGING FOR VBPS STRANDED FROM PREVIOUS UNSEAWORTHY BOATS TO JOIN OTHER BOATS BOUND FOR HONG KONG IS PARTICULARLY WORRYING. ONE GROUP WHICH LEFT
HAIPHONG ON 15 MARCH WERE JOINED AT BEIHAI BY A GROUP OF 4 AND AT DIEN BAI BY ANOTHER ELEVEN, ALL ARRANGED BY LOCAL OFFICIALS. THE OFFICIALS AT DIEN BAI GAVE THE BOAT'S CREW A NOTE CERTIFYING THE NUMBER OF VBPS ON BOARD AND REQUESTING OTHER COASTAL PORTS TO GIVE
ASSISTANCE.
2. ALTHOUGH WE SHOULD KEEP UP THE PRESSURE, WE HAVE PROBABLY GOT AS FAR AS WE CAN WITH GENERAL REQUESTS THAT ASSITANCE BE CUT DOWN AND
THAT VBPS BE ADVISED TO GO BACK TO VIETNAM. WE WOULD HOWEVER LIKE TO MAKE A FURTHER AND MORE SPECIFIC REQUEST TO THE CHINESE TO STOP PASSING VBPS ON TO NEWLY ARRIVED BOATS. WE THINK WE SHOULD ALSO SPELL
OUT THE LOGICAL CONCLUSION FROM THAT: THAT VBPS WHO ARRIVE IN UNSEAWORTHY BOATS AND WHO THEREFORE SPEND A SIGNIFICANT PERIOD IN CHINESE PORTS SHOULD BE REGARDED AS LANDED IN CHINA AND SHOULD
BE KEPT THERE UNTIL THEY CAN GO BACK TO VIETNAM. WE REALISE THE DIFFICULTIES OVER THIS BUT, GIVEN THE CHINESE CLAIM TO CONCERN OVER THE SITUATION IN HONG KONG, WE THINK IT WOULD BE RIGHT TO POINT OUT THAT THERE IS NO JUSTIFICATION AT ALL FOR THE CHINESE ADDING TO
HONG KONG'S BURDEN BY PASSING ON PEOPLE WHOSE JOURNEY HAS BEEN INTERRUPTED.
3. SUBJECT TO YOUR VIEWS AND PEKING'S WE PROPOSE TO SPEAK TO NCNA
ON THESE LINES AND SHOULD BE GRATEFUL IF PEKING COULD BE ASKED TO DO THE SAME. WE SHALL TELEGRAPH UP TO DATE SUPPORTING MATERIAL FROM DEBRIEFING OF VBPS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
WILSON
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