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HKA 177/1
RESTRICTED
FM HONG KONG
TO IMMEDIATE HANOI
TELNO 208
OF 010944Z SEPTEMBER 92
INFO IMMEDIATE FCO, PEKING
INCURSIONS
22
167760 MDHIAN 7288
TOP COPY
Q DIST?
میر
CHINESE SEIZURE OF VIETNAMESE VESSELS NEAR HONG KONG
1. LOCAL MEDIA HAVE REPORTED UP TO 15 VIETNAMESE VESSELS DETAINED BY CHINESE SECURITY FORCES IN OR NEAR HONG KONG WATERS AND OVER HKD50 MILLION WORTH OF GOODS CONFISCATED.
2. LAST WEEK OUR MARINE DEPARTMENT RECEIVED REPORTS FROM LOCALLY BASED SHIPPING AGENTS INVOLVING A TOTAL OF 5 SHIPS, ALL REGISTERED IN VIETNAM AND ALL ARRESTED IN APPROXIMATELY THE SAME LOCATION, ABOUT 2 MILES OUTSIDE HONG KONG WATERS. ALL THE VESSELS WERE PROPERLY DOCUMENTED WITH PORT CLEARANCE AND ALL WERE HEADING FOR VIETNAM.
3. TWO INCIDENTS OCCURRED THIS WEEKEND INSIDE HONG KONG WATERS. ON THE EVENING OF 28 AUGUST, A VIETNAMESE REGISTERED VESSEL 'TRAMY' RADIOED THAT IT WAS BEING CHASED BY A NUMBER OF SPEEDBOATS TWO MILES SOUTH-EAST OF STANLEY BEACH. TWO MINUTES LATER THE VESSEL SAID IT HAD BEEN BOARDED. RADIO CONTACT WAS THEN LOST AND THE VESSEL WAS SEEN ON RADAR TO LEAVE HONG KONG WATERS. MARINE POLICE SENT TO THE AREA COULD FIND NO TRACE OF IT.
4. ON THE MORNING OF 29 AUGUST, VIETNAMESE VESSEL 'CORUYEN 02' BOUND FOR VIETNAM, LOST RADIO CONTACT WHEN IT WAS STILL WITHIN HONG KONG TERRITORIAL WATERS. MARINE POLICE DISPATCHED TO THE SCENE FOUND THE VESSEL DRIFTING WITHOUT ENGINE POWER. THE VIETNAMESE MASTER JUMPED OVERBOARD AND WAS RESCUED BY THE POLICE. THE OTHER CREW MEMBERS WERE BEING GUARDED BY 14 ARMED CHINESE OFFICIALS WHO SAID THEY HAD BOARDED THE VESSEL BECAUSE IT WAS SUSPECT OF SMUGGLING GOODS. THEY AGREED TO BE ESCORTED BACK TO CHINESE WATER WHERE THEIR BOAT PICKED THEM UP.
5. THE DEPUTY POLITICAL ADVISER RAISED THE FIRST 5 INCIDENTS WITH THE CHINESE ON 28 AUGUST. HE WAS TOLD THAT THE SHIPS CONCERNED WERE INVOLVED IN SMUGGLING AND THAT DETAILS WOULD BE PROVIDED IN THE NEAR FUTURE.
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