CCNFIDENTIAL
- 3-
Current Issues
(a)
Immigration from China
8. Over 100,000 people came to Hong Kong from China legally and
illegally in 1978. The influx has continued at an even higher rate
in 1979. The Chinese Government have responded helpfully to
representations about this problem but have genuine difficulties in
controlling the numbers.
(b) Vietnamese Refugees
9.
Refugees from Vietnam are arriving in Hong Kong much faster than
they can be resettled. There are now some 18,000 Vietnamese refugees
in Hong Kong; over 14,000 of them arrived this year. We have urged
the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and potential
recipient countries to speed up resettlement. We have also agreed to
take an extra 1,000 refugees from Hong Kong for resettlement in
Britain.
Future Issues
10. A separate paper setting out some of the considerations likely
to affect policy towards Hong Kong over the next few years will be
submitted separately to the Minister of State responsible for Hong
Kong.
CONFIDENTIAL
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