TNAG-0880-FCO40-1090-Refugees-from-Vietnam-in-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-boat-people-1979 — Page 43

DSR HIC

DETENTION OF REFUGEES

7.

Refugees who are allowed to land temporarily in Hong

Kong are not held in detention. New arrivals may be detained

while their cases are considered to see whether they qualify

for temporary admission. The law was recently amended to

allow the period of detention to continue beyond a month,

since under the previous law the Hong Kong Government had no

alternative but to return to their country of origin any

would-be immigrants whose cases had not been decided at the

end of a month.

PROSECUTION OF MASTER

8. The Master of the HUEY FONG has been charged with

carrying excess passengers. If convicted, he faces up to

four years imprisonment and a large fine. These penalties

were recently increased to deter trafficking in refugees for

profit. The laws do not apply in the case of genuine ship-

wreck survivors picked up at sea.

LEGAL IMMIGRATION FROM CHINA

9. The Government have made repeated representations to

the Chinese Government about the problem posed for Hong Kong

by the very high rate at which legal immigrants from China

have been arriving in the territory. We believe the Chinese

authorities fully understand the problem, especially the strain

that is imposed on Hong Kong's social services, and are making

genuine efforts to reduce the numbers. In recent weeks, the

rate of arrivals has declined significantly, though it still

remains at an unacceptable level.

/10.

p. 0532000 400 M S178 HMSO R.Lmall