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La
10 July 1974
Mr James Johnson (Kingston-upon-Hull, West): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what communication he had from the acting Governor of Hong Kong concerning the deportation to Saigon (on 17th June) of 119 overseas Chinese men, women and children who had sought sanctuary in Hong Kong; and what assurances they have received from the government of South Vietnam.
NO. W36
MR ROY HATTERSLEY
The Governor informed us by telegram that on 2 June a locally registered fishing junk was intercepted in colony waters and was found to have on board 119 illegal immigrants, all of Chinese descent, from South Vietnam. All but one were returned to South Vietnam on 17 June after assurances had been received in London, Saigon and Hong Kong that nothing serious would happen to members of the group who were victims of the syndicate which had smuggled them out of Vietnam. The South Vietnamese Foreign Minister confirmed these assurances to me in London on 4 July and said that cases of violation of the immigration/emigration laws would be tricd in open court and would not be harshly punished.
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