TNAG-1276-FCO40-1626-Resettlement-of-Vietnamese-refugees-from-Hong-Kong-1983 — Page 22

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HONG KONG

Government Policy. Asylum for refugees is a matter of government discretion. At present only Vietnamese refugees are permitted asylum. Pending their resettlement in

i third countries. In order to discourage those persons in Vietnam who might seek asylum in Hong Kong because of the earlier conditions which permitted freedom of movement and employment. in mid-1982 the government decreed that newly arriving refugees would not be issued work permits and would be placed in closed

Since 1980. Chinese border

crossers who are not properly documented for legal

legal departure from China have been treated as illegal entrants and returned to their homeland. Owing to the density of population in Hong Kong's limited territory, resettlement generally is not offered.

camps.

in

Refugee Impact. Hong Kong's strong economy and the financial resources available to the government and from UNHCR have made it possible to minimize the costs of housing and feeding the 104,500 Vietnamese who have obtained temporary asylum

this small territory. There is some growing resentment among the Hong Kong population toward the Vietnamese refugees,

particularly since economic activity is slow. Comparison of the treatment accorded the Vietnamese with that accorded illegal entrants from China also is a point of friction.

however,

Current Refugee Status. Despite the continuing decline in refugee arrivals, largely due to the new closed camp

camp policy. Hong Kong will have at the end of September the same refugee population as it has had at that time in the past two years because of the drop in the resettlement of the refugees, particularly by the United Kingdom. (During the ten months to July 1983, 1,100 refugees departed for the United States; and 1,800 refugees to other countries.) This may cause increasing domestic pressure to further stem the influx of the refugees. Hong Kong permanently resettled 52 refugees in 1982 and 3 So far in 1983.

As for voluntary repatriation, 2 refugees returned to Vietnam in 1982 and 1 in 1983. As of the end of July, there were 13,400 Vietnamese refugees in asylum status.

Refugee Program Costs. In 1982. the Hong Kong government spent U.S. $6.3 million for maintenance of Vietnamese refugees in its own and UNHCR camps, and estimates expenditures at $13.8 million in 1983. In 1982. the UNHCR budget for these refugees was $2.7 million; the 1983 UNHCR budget is $4.6 million.

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