TNAG-0802-FCO40-1006-Immigration-from-China-to-Hong-Kong-1978 — Page 59

CONFIDENTIAL

TER A PASSAGE INCLUDING SHORT STOPS ON THE CHINESE COAST

R SHELTER OR TO REQUEST ESSENTIAL SUPPLIES.

B. THE GROUP OF 120 INCLUDED A LARGE NUMBER WHO ENTERED CHINA

BY LAND FROM VIETNMA. THREE OF THE FIVE JUNKS IN THIS GROUP HAD

BEEN BOUGHT IN PEIHAI FROM PEOPLE WHO HAD ARRIVED BY SEA AND

WISHED TO STAY IN CHINA.

C. THE FORMAL STATUS GIVEN TO THESE PEOPLE IN CHINA IS, OF COURSE,

A MATTER FOR THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT. IN PRACTICAL TERMS, ARRANGE-

MENTS HAVE BEEN MADE TO PROVIDE THEM WITH FOOD, RATION COUPONS

AND MONEY TO MEET DAILY LIVING EXPENSES, THEY HAVE BEEN SETTLED

LONG ENOUGH TO BE ABLE TO CORRESPOND WITH FRIENDS AND RELATIVE

ELSEWHERE IN CHINA. THIS MEANS THAT THEY CANNOT BE REGARDED AS

REFUGEES WHEN THEY LATER LEAVE, WITH NO DOCUMENTATION, FOR HONG KONG

D. THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT HAS TREATED THESE PEOPLE IN THE SAME

WAY AS OTHER ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS FROM CHINA BECAUSE THERE IS

INDISPUTABLE EVIDENCE THAT THEY HAVE COME TO HONG KONG ILLEGALLY

AND THEIR IMMEDIATE POINT OF DEPARTURE HAS BEEN IN CHINA. THE

SIMPLEST PROCEDURES FOR THEIR REPATRIATION ARE THOSE WHICH

EXIST FOR OTHER ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS TO HONG KONG. THESE HAVE ALREADY

BEEN USED ON A FEW OCCASIONS FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE ORIGINALLY REACHED

CHINA FROM VIETNAM AND WHO HAVE BEEN ARRESTED CROSSING BY

LAND INTO HONG KONG.

E. THESE PEOPLE ARE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR RESETTLEMENT ELSEWHERE AS

REFUGEES UNDER ANY NATIONAL OR INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMMES CONCERNING

REFUGEES FROM INDO-CHINA.

F. ANY PEOPLE WHO HAVE REACHED CHINA FROM VIETNAM AND WHO WISH

TO JOIN CLOSE RELATIVES IN HONG KONG CAN APPLY TO THE BRITISH

EMBASSY. ANY WHO WISH TO TRAVEL TO OVERSEAS COUNTRIES CAN MAKE

WRITTEN APPLICATION FROM THEIR PRESENT RESIDENCE IN CHINA TO THE

RELEVANT AUTHORITIES OF THESE COUNTRIES IN PEKING OR IN HONG KONG.

IF THEY ARRIVE AT LOWU WITH EVIDENCE OF ONWARD VISAS THERE WILL BE

NO DIFFICULTY IN ALLOWING THEM TO ENTER HONG KONG IN TRANSIT TO

THEIR ONWARD DESTINATION.

G. ANY PEOPLE OF VIETNAMESE NATIONALITY COMING LEGALLY TO HONG KONG,

WHATEVER THEIR POINT OF DEPARTURE, ARE REQUIRED TO HAVE A VISA,

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CONFIDENTIAL

/ 9. WE SUGGEST

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