TNAG-0888-FCO40-1098-Refugees-from-Vietnam-in-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-boat-people-1979 — Page 33

!

HKK 243/1

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY NO.

IND

- 7 JUN1979

GOND

DESK OFFICER

RE

PA

|Act.

937

SIR Y K PAO: CALLS ON SECRETARIES OF

OʻNOTATEUR TRAIL AND INDUSTRY

DEFENSIVE SPEAKING NOTE

Vietnamese kefugees in Hong Kong

•

We

HC are fully aware of the serious problems facing Hong kong, where

there are now over 41,000 Vietnamese boat refugees awaiting

resettlement. As a humanitarian gesture, we have agreed to accept

the 1,000 refugees who arrived in long long on the british registered

freighter Libonga. Future similar cases will be considered on

their merits. In the meantime we are actively pursuing the search

for an international solution to the problem. The Prime Minister

has appealed to the secretary-General of the United Nations to

conven an international conference to consider the question.

have appealed urgently to other countries to help provide more

resettlement places for refugees from Vietnam in long non,, and to

put pressure on the Vietnamese Government to control the exodus.

we have also made very clear our strong condemnation of the

policies that have driven so many people to leave Vietnam at

appalling risks to their lives, and of the callous attitude of

Vietnamese officials who have been deriving huge profits from the

refugee exodus.

hong kong-Chinese Relations and the Future of Hong Kong

Anglo-Chinese relations over Hong Kong, and relations between China

and Hong Kong are excellent. The last year in particular has seen

a strengthening of links between Hong Kong and China. Land, sea

and air communications have been improved, Hong Kong and Chinese

enterprises have cooperated in joint ventures both in Hong Kong and

in China. and the Chinese authorities have shown their readiness to

/establish