TNAG-1184-FCO40-1486-Resettlement-of-Vietnamese-refugees-from-Hong-Kong-into-the--1982 — Page 55

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SUBJECT:

VIETNAMESE REFUGEES

Hong Kong is increasingly concerned at the net rise

in the number of refugees in the Territory as a result

of the reduction of resettlement opportunities in third

countries. The 'number of refugees in Hong Kong has

increased from under 10,000 in April to over 13,000;

40% of these have been awaiting resettlement for over

2. years.

Moreover, over half of boat refugees from

Vietnam in 1982 have gone to Hong Kong while only 13% of

UNHCR resettlements have been from Hong Kong. The Hong

Kong Government introduced in July a policy of confining

refugees in closed camps, where they do not have the

opportunity to work: this has so far had no visible

deterrent effect.

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2. The 1979 UK quota of 10,000 has now been completely

filled: indeed, the UK has taken a total of 16,388

Vietnamese refugees, 11,194 of them from Hong Kong.

Although HMG continues to admit close relatives who fall

within the family reunification criteria and some ship

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