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THE U.S. EMBARGO AGAINST VIETNAM
The view from Hong Kong
Hong Kong's view of Vietnam has long been clouded by one issue boat people. Over the past 17 years, 195,000 boat people have sailed into Hong Kong's crowded harbour; not one has been turned away. Today there are still 42,000 Vietnamese men, women and children in Hong Kong's camps, plus 2,500 who have been classified as refugees and await resettlement.
The situation is improving slowly. In 1992, some 12,000 boat people returned to Vietnam on a voluntary basis. Mandatory repatriation has involved only seven flights and only 330 people, and the international community has generally refrained from criticism.
The mood in the camps is changing. Boat people now accept that - unless they are screened in as refugees - they will have to return to Vietnam. This message has got back to Vietnam - only 12 boat people arrived in Hong Kong last year.
Nevertheless, there are still 42,000 boat people here and only 1,000 of them have so far volunteered to return to Vietnam. Others hesitate, noting that the United States has not lifted its trade embargo or restored diplomatic relations with Hanoi. The lifting of the embargo would give fresh impetus to the voluntary repatriation program.
Hong Kong's aim is to solve the boat people problem quickly and humanely. The U.S. embargo against Vietnam is working directly against that policy.
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Hong Kong recognises that the embargo has been relaxed in a few areas, but the main pillars of the policy remain. The US continues to deny Vietnam access to international finance, and U.S. companies are still banned from doing business with Vietnam.
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