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MIPT:
MR GOODLAD'S MEETING WITH THE CHINESE CHARGE D'AFFAIRES: EX-CHINA VIETNAMESE ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS
1. Following is text of speaking note used by Mr Goodlad:
M
BEGINS In the past three weeks, there has been a new and
The numbers alarming surge in arrivals in Hong Kong of ECVII's. involved are already causing us concern: if the surge continues it will create serious problems. We would be grateful for the urgent assistance of China in stemming the flow of new arrivals.
No ECVII's arrived in Hong Kong in 1992. The flow picked up in
Since then, January 1993 but the current surge began on 25 June. almost 600 have arrived, with new boats reaching Hong Kong almost every day.
ALL of the arrivals in this period have told us that they have come from Guangxi Province. ALL have lived in China since 1979 or earlier and are ethnic Chinese. They have explained that they came to Hong Kong because the local authorities in Guangxi had demolished the homes which they had built. They have claimed that as many as 7,000 homes have been demolished in this way, making up to 40,000 people homeless. Pictures of the demolition have now appeared in the Hong Kong press. And the Deputy Secretary General of Beihai Municipality has been quoted as saying that the migrants would "stay in Hong Kong for a long time". This reported statement causes us great concern.
If urgent action is not taken to deter the migrants, many more of those who have recently lost their homes will almost certainly try to follow the recent arrivals to Hong Kong. Some may already be on their way. Experience has shown that the only effective way to discourage further arrivals is for those who arrive in Hong kong to be returned rapidly to China.
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