TNAG-0894-FCO40-1104-Refugees-from-Vietnam-in-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-boat-people-1979 — Page 244

RESTRICTED

(B) UP TO 4 YEARS IMPRISONMENT AND FINES OF UP TO HK DOLLARS

200,000 FOR DISABLING, ABANDONING, SCUTTLING OR BEACHING ANY VESSEL IN HONG KONG WATERS.

FIRST PORT OF CALL

9. DUE TO THE NUMBERS OF REFUGEES ARRIVING, HONG KONG CAN NO

LONGER AUTOMATICALLY APPLY THE FIRST PORT OF CALL PRINCIPLE.

EACH CASE WILL BE CONSIDERED ON ITS MERITS, INCLUDING THE

POSSIBILITY OF RESETTLEMENT WITHIN A SHORT PERIOD TO THE FLAG COUNTRY (OR TO ANY OTHER COUNTRY WILLING TO ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY

FOR THE REFUGEES).

TRADE WITH VIETNAM

10. TRADE WITH VIETNAM HAS DECLINED SINCE 1977. IN JANUARY TO MAY DOMESTIC EXPORTS TO VIETNAME WERE HK DOLLARS 8 (EIGHT) MILLION AND IMPORTS 36 (THIRTY SIX) MILLION (U.S. DOLLARS 1.6 AND 7.1 MILLION).

CONSIDERABLE REGIONAL COMMERCIAL ACTIVITY BY VIETNAM (ESPECIALLY

SHIPPING) IS CONTROLLED BY THE H.K. OFFICE OF THE NATIONAL IMPORT/EXPORT CORPORATION OF VIETNAM. THERE ARE NO DIRECT AIR

LINKS BUT USE OF THE AMBER ONE ROUTE OVER VIETNAM IS IMPORTANT

TO CATHAY PACIFIC AND OTHER AIRLINES SERVICING HONG KONG FROM

BANGKOK.

MACLEHOSE

FILES

HRED (6)

SEAD

FED

UND

MR CORMAZZI

MR MURRAY

COPIES

то

HONG KONG GOVT OFFICE

LONDON

3

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