CONFIDENTIAL
063646
MDHIAN 2959
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO DESKBY 15100OZ FCO
TELNO 3438
OF 15074OZ SEPTEMBER 87
AND TO DESKBY 16010OZ PEKING
TOP COPY Q DIST ?
FINAL PART OF TWO PARTS
ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS
145.
ANOTHER PROBLEM WHICH REQUIRES CONSTANT ATTENTION IS ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION. IN JUNE, A SUDDEN INCREASE WAS SPARKED BY BASELESS RUMOURS OF AN AMNESTY. OUR SECURITY FORCES ONCE AGAIN ENSURE THAT NEARLY ALL OF THE ARRIVALS WERE CAUGHT ON ENTRY AND RETURNED FORTHWITH. THEY DESERVE OUR CONGRATULATIONS AND THANKS FOR THEIR PROFESSIONALISM AND UNREMITTING EFFORTS. WE BENEFITTED TOO FROM GOOD CO-OPERATION WITH THE GUANGDONG AND SHENZHEN AUTHORITIES WHO ALSO PLAYED A LARGE PART IN STOPPING THE FLOW.
146.
TO THE FAMILIAR PROBLEM OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION HAS, IN RECENT MONTHS, BEEN ADDED THAT OF FORMER VIETNAMESE REFUGEES RESETTLED IN CHINA WHO HAVE TRIED TO ENTER TO HONG KONG ILLEGALLY. THEY TOO SEEM TO HAVE BEEN INCITED TO COME BY TOTALLY UNFOUNDED RUMOURS OF AN AMNESTY OR OF A NEW PROGRAMME OF RESETTLEMENT OVERSEAS.
ARRIVED BETWEEN 20 JUNE AND
D
WHILE THEY ARE WITH US THESE PEOPLE ARE A STRAIN ON OUR RESOURCES IN THE SAME WAY AS REFUGEES. BUT THEY ARE ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS, NOT REFUGEES. WITH THE CO-OPERATION OF THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES, THEREFORE, STEPS HAVE BEEN TAKEN TO CONTAIN THE FLOW AND TO RETURN THOSE WHO HAVE ARRIVED TO CHINA AS SPEEDILY AS POSSIBLE. I AM GLAD TO SAY THAT THIS EXERCISE IS PROCEEDING SMOOTHLY.
VIETNAMESE REFUGEES
147. WE ALSO HAVE A CONTINUING PROBLEM IN COPING WITH REFUGEES FROM VIETNAM. IT IS DISTRESSING FOR ME TO COME BACK TO HONG KONG AND SEE THAT THIS PROBLEM, WHICH REACHED DRAMATIC PROPORTIONS IN 1979, IS STILL WITH US. NEW REFUGEES CONTINUE TO ARRIVE, MANY OF THEM FROM NORTH VIETNAM, WHO ARE MORE DIFFICULT TO RESETTLE, WHILE THE RATE OF RESETTLEMENT HAS DECLINED DURING THIS YEAR. THIS IS NOT A SATISFACTORY SITUATION.
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CONFIDENTIAL
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