TNAG-0792-FCO40-996-Refugees-from-Vietnam-in-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-boat-people-1978 — Page 293

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3. THE CHINESE REPORTS DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE VIETNAMESE PEOPOE, MANY OF WHOME ARE SAID TO RESPECT AND CHERISH THE CHINESE, AND THE VIETNAMESE AUTHORITIES, WHICH ARE ACCUSED OF BRUTAL AND UNGRATEFUL TREATMENT OF THE CHINESE, MANY OF WHOM ARE SAID TO HAVE CONTRIBUTED LOYALLY AND SELFLESSLY TO THE VIETNAMESE REVOLU- TION.

ON 26 MAY NCNA ANNOUNCED THAT THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT HAD QUOTE DECIDED UNQUOTE TO SEND SHIPS TO BRING HOME CHINESE FROM VIETNAM. WE NOTE THAT, ACCORDING TO VNA, AT HIS MEETING WITH THE CHINESE AMBASSADOR ON 27 MAY THE VIETNAMESE VICE MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS, HOANG BICH SON, SAID THAT HE WOULD REPORT THE QUOTE CHINESE SIDE'S PROPOSAL FOR SENDING SHIPS TO HAI PHONG AND SAIGON PORTS UNQUOTE TO HIGHER QUARTERS. THIS SUGGESTS THE CHINESE DECISION TO SEND BOATS WAS TAKEN WITHOUT THE AGREEMENT OF THE VIETNAMESE. THE CHINESE HAVE NOT YET STATED PUBLICLY

WHETHER BOATS HAVE BEEN DESPATCHED.

5. ON 24 MAY, VICE PREMIER CH'EN YUNG-KUEI TOLD THE WEST GERMAN MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE THAT RELATIONS WITH VIETNAM COULD BE WORSE. THE CHINESE HAVE CLEARLY DECIDED TO DROP. THE APPEARANCE OF FRIENDLY AND FRATERNAL RELATIONS, WHICH, DESPITE SERIOUS DIFFERENCES WITH VIETNAM, THEY HAD UNTIL RECENTLY STRIVEN TO MAINTAIN AND WE SEEM TO BE WITNESSING THE BEGINNING OF A CAMPAIGN TO WHIP UP POPULAR HATRED AGAINST THE VIETNAMESE GOVERNMENT,

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