TNAG-1419-FCO40-1902-Hong-Kong-Parliamentary-Sub-Committee-on-Race-Relations-and--1985 — Page 219

result Hong Kong, which already has the largest number of boat people awaiting resettlement in South East Asia (and has done SO for three years), would have to shoulder an even larger share of the burden. When additonal factors such as the territory' S extreme population density and the continuing burden of legal and illegal immigration from China are taken into

account, it is understandable that local Hong Kong people would strongly resent such a measure. HMG's

that present circumstances do not make it possible to accept the Select Committee's recommendation that the closed camp policy be ended.

conclusion

is

CIRCUMSTANCES IN WHICH THE FCO WOULD WITHDRAW

ITS SANCTION FROM THE CLOSED CAMP POLICY

5.

It has never been either HMG's or the Hong Kong Government's intention that the closed camps should be

a permanent feature of Hong Kong's refugee policy. The Hong Kong Government have always made clear that

the policy is a temporary measure: i f the flow of illegal departures from Vietnam were to be

be reduced to a trickle, such deterrent measures would not longer be necessary. The sooner this happens the better pleased HMG and Hong Kong will be. However the factors which

determine the rate of departures are beyond the control of Her Majesty's Government or the Hong Kong Government, and depend on

and depend on developments within Vietnam. This is the root of the problem. As long as the social and economic conditions imposed by the Hanoi Government make life within Vietnam intolerable for

large numbers of people, they will continue to be

attracted by the prospect of life in the west.

Without s ome policy of deterrence, Hong Kong will

to be viewed as a convenient gateway to

continue

west:

or,

the

if the west will not take those leaving Vietnam, as a resettlement goal in itself.