TNAG-1456-FCO40-1980-Future-of-Hong-Kong-annual-report-to-Parliament-on-Hong-Kong-1986 — Page 3

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VIETNAMESE REFUGEES

[HK draft]

During 1986 the number of Vietnamese refugees

arriving in Hong Kong doubled compared with 1985. This

first time that the rate of arrivals in the

1

was

the

territory had increased since

since the

the implementation of the

1442?

Major efforts have

Following the

"closed centre" policy in July

been made to speed up resettlement.

decision by Her Majesty's Government in September 1985 to

accept 500 refugees from Hong Kong for family reunion in mayor the United Kingdom under relaxed criteria, a jaint MARK kk effort

was

supported by

mounted by ot

Her

Majesty's

Government, the Hong Kong Government during 1985/86 to

persuade other countries to offer more resettlement places

to Hong Kong. Many countries responded positively,

including Australia, Belgium, Canada,

Canada, Denmark, Finland,

France, Luxembourg, the Netherlands,

and Sweden.

New Zealand, Norway

For its part the Hong Kong Government

decided to accept 250 refugees of Chinese origin for local

settlement.

In response to a request made by the United

Nations High Commissioner for Refugees,

the Hong Kong

Government also agreed, in February 1986, to establish a

transit centre in Hong Kong, to help

facilitate the

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