CONFIDENTIAL
VIETNAMESE REFUGEES IN HONG KONG
POLICY PAPER
I
INTRODUCTION
1.
This paper surveys the problem
Kong, attempts to
of
Vietnamese refugees in
Hon
it is now, and sets
position.
out possible
predict how it will develop if policy remains a
options for improving th
I I
2.
BACKGROUND
About 1.5 million people have left Indo-China since 1975, over
million of them Vietnamese. Over half a million
Vietnam have arrived in first
boat refugees fro
asylum countries including Hong Kon
Since 1979 ove
and many more have certainly perished e n route.
72,000 Vietnamese have left Vietnam under the Orderly Departur
Programme (ODP) administered by the UNHCR with Vietnamese Governmen
cooperation.
Currently over 160,000 Indo-Chinese (some 36,00
in camps in the area.
Vietnamese) await resettlement
elsewhere.
Hon
104,000 Vietnamese have reached Hong Kong since 1975; none have bee
turned away.
All have been placed in camps pending resettlemen
Hong Kong have themselves accepted 14,500 displace
Indo-Chinese, mostly from Vietnam, for permanent settlement.
Kong's refugee population has now remained steady at 12-13,000 fo
about two
than more
South East Asian countries
(9,000), Indonesia (7,000),
years.
i s This
refugees in any of the
resettlement, eg
Malaysia
(2,000).
the
numbers
of
Vietname s
awaitin
Philippine
UK RESPONSE TO VIETNAMESE REFUGEE PROBLEM : 1979 GENEVA CONFERENCE
3.
In January 1979, HMG agreed to admit 1,500 refugees frc
Indo-China, in addition to the 300 or SO already here. It WE
decided that, because of
for responsibilities Our
the territor
1,000 of these should come from Hong Kong. In July 1979, at ι
initiative,
in held
with th
worsening refugee crisis. At that conference, the UK agreed to tak
further quota of
Vietnamese 10,000
from refugees
Hong Kong
a
a
conference
was
Geneva
to
deal
n(
At the same conference a general consensus emerged, though it is
recorded formally
formally in any document, to confer group refugee status (
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