TNAG-0792-FCO40-996-Refugees-from-Vietnam-in-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-boat-people-1978 — Page 301

295

PRIORITY CYPHER/CAT A

FM HONG KONG 220947Z

CONFIDENTIAL

See 199

CONFIDENTIAL

TO PRIORITY F.C.O TELNO,648 OF 22 MAY 78,

INFO HANOI, PEKING, WASHINGTON.

SINO/VIETNAMESE RELATIONS,

рех

HKK 243/1

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY NO. 51 2 3 MAY 1978

DESK OFFICER

INDEX

REGISTR

PA

Action Tab.

27

1. WE HAVE BEEN STRUCK BY THE PROMINENT COVERAGE GIVEN IN THE

LEFT-WING PRESS HERE TO THE EXODUS OF OVERSEAS CHINESE REFUGEES

FROM VIETNAM TO CHINA. ON 21ST MAY THE TA KUNG PAO CARRIED A

STORY FROM THEIR REPORTER IN CANTON, QUOTING RELIABLE SOURCES (PRESUMABLY CHINESE), THAT BY 14TH MAY OVER 57,000 HAD LEFT.

ACCORDING TO REFUGEES INTERVIEWED BY TKP REPORTERS IN PEIHEI ON THE KWANGGI COAST AND IN HOKOW ON THE YUNNAN/VIETNAM RAILWAY BORDER, THE VIETNAMESE GOVERNMENT HAS BEEN FORCING

OVERSEAS CHINESE TO ADOPT VIETNAMESE NATIONALITY AND HAS THEN

SENT THEM AS CANNON FODDER TO THE BORDER WITH KAMPUCHEA,

THOSE WHO RESIST HAVE HAD 1.D PAPERS CONFISCATED AND WAGES AND

RATIONS WITHHELD. VIETNAMESE PUBLIC SECURITY BURGAUX ARE SAID

TO HAVE DECLARED PUBLICLY. THAT IT WOULD BE BEST IF ALL OVERSEAS

CHINESE WERE TO LEAVE.

2. AN EDITORIAL IN THE NEW EVENING POST ON 21 MAY STRIKES A

PARTICULARLY BITTER TONE, ALLUDING POINTEDLY TO THE PHRASE ''AS

CLOSE AS LIPS AND TEETH (USED TO CHARACTERIZE SIND VIETNAMESE RELATIONS DURING THE WAR), IT SAYS: **THE TEETH ARE BITING THE

LIPS. IT THEN SUGGESTS THAT SIMILAR HEGEMONISTIC AMBITIONS

ARE APPARENT IN VIETNAMESE OPPRESSION OF DEFENCELESS OVERSEAS

CHINESE (SOME OF WHOM ARE SAID TO HAVE BEEN KILLED) AS IN THE SOVIET INCURSION ACROSS THE USSURI ON 9 MAY.

91

COMEDENTIAL

13.