CONFIDENTIAL
HKD 243/22
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO IMMEDIATE PEKING
TELNO 77
OF 04090OZ MAY 89
INFO IMMEDIATE FCO, HANOI, UKMIS GENEVA, WASHINGTON
035654
MDHIAN 3248
FCO TELNO 392 TO YOU: VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE: FURTHER ACTION
WITH THE CHINESE
1. THE LATEST ARRIVAL STATISTICS ARE AS FOLLOWS:
JAN
FEB
MAR
APRIL
MAY (AS AT 4 MAY)
1988
1989
358
114
91
356
349
842
1381
2918
428
1042
2607
5272
640 VBP ARRIVED IN 9 BOATS YESTERDAY (3 MAY): THE SECOND HIGHEST
NUMBER OF ARRIVALS IN ONE DAY SINCE 1979. THE AVERAGE DAILY
ARRIVAL RATE FOR THE PAST 5 DAYS NOW STANDS AT 330.
2. IN ADDITION TO THE INFORMATION IN OUR TELNO 1302 TO FCO ON ASSISTANCE GIVEN TO VBP BY CHINESE OFFICIALS, WE HAVE RECEIVED THE FOLLOWING REPORTS FROM RECENT ARRIVALS:
A. 40 VBP ARRIVED IN A BOAT ON 21 APRIL. THE MAIN GROUP OF 31 WAS ALLOWED TO CROSS THE SINO-VIETNAM BORDER AFTER PAYING 10,000 DONG PER PERSON TO SRV BORDER OFFICIALS. THEY REACHED QI SHA ON 28 MARCH WHERE THEY WERE JOINED BY 9 OTHER VBP AND PURCHASED A FISHING JUNK
FROM THE LOCAL FISHERMEN TO CONTINUE THE JOURNEY TO HONG KONG. BEFORE THEY LEFT QI SHA, LOCAL OFFICIALS PROVIDED THEM WITH 50KG OF RICE FREE OF CHARGE, AND A NOTE ASKING OTHER CHINESE COASTAL AUTHORITIES TO FACILITATE THEIR ONWARD JOURNEY.
B. 15 VBP ARRIVED IN A BOAT ON 27 APRIL. THEY REPORTED THAT THEY
REACHED LING SHUI IN EARLY APRIL AND WERE GIVEN 30 KG OF RICE AND
40 LITRES OF FUEL BY LOCAL OFFICIALS.
C. 28 VBP ARRIVED IN A BOAT ON 29 APRIL. FOUR OF THEM REPORTED
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