TNAG-0946-FCO40-1165-Local-Intelligence-Committee-assessment-of-the-political-sit-1980 — Page 53

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26.

Ethnic Chinese in Southern Vietnam have told their relatives

overseas that they are still waiting to leave, either officially or secretly,

but that their proposed departure date is continually being postponed by the

Public Security Bureau. Some plan to make their way overland through

Cambodia to refugee camps in Thailand, the departure fee for this route

being two taels of gold or an equivalent in dong. Some Vietnamese

Chinese in Hong Kong believe that there are about 10,000 persons (both

Chinese and Vietnamese) in towns between Cam Ranh Bay and Da Nang who hope

to come. to Hong Kong in the near future. Money agents in Hong Kong remain

active.

27.

The 9,800 ton M.V. FU THONG, which had been waiting in the Gulf

of Siam off Cambodia since 11 January while negotiations took place between

syndicate organisers and intermediaries in Vietnam, sailed for Taiwan on

18 February and is now in Kaosiung. The ship had hoped to collect 8,000

ethnic Chinese stranded in Ben Tre Province from two earlier aborted ship

departures in 1979 but a crew mutiny may have forced the master to abandon

the attempt. Other overseas Chinese refugee ship syndicate organisers

continue with contingency plans to run large ships because of potentially

large monetary rewards.

28..

on the

Information from various other sources as to the intentions

of the Vietnamese Government is conflicting and reliable prediction

is difficult. On the one hand, there is the evidence of planning referred

to in the previous paragraphs, together with the preparations being made

for the departure of large numbers of small and medium sized boats;

other, Vietnamese Government spokesmen reiterate that the embargo will be

maintained. However, they do so with some equivocation, since they also

refer to the organised departure scheme and hint that, unless this

results in the departure of the many thousands nominated by the

Vietnamese Government, the unofficial departures might be resumed.

LIC Hong Kong March 1980

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