TNAG-1745-FCO40-2464-Visits-by-FCO-officials-to-Hong-Kong--including-visit-by-Lor-1988 — Page 81

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5.

HONG KONG WAS CENTRAL TO MY DISCUSSIONS WITH

CHINESE MINISTERS.

I WAS IMPRESSED BY THEIR

DETERMINATION TO IMPLEMENT THE JOINT DECLARATION AND

THEIR READINESS TO CONSULT HONG KONG PEOPLE ON THE DRAFT

BASIC LAW AND TO AMEND IT IN THE LIGHT OF THEIR VIEWS.

6. I DISCUSSED WITH THE CHINESE MINISTERS THE PROBLEM

OF VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE BEING GIVEN ASSISTANCE ALONG

THE COAST OF CHINA ON THEIR WAY TO HONG KONG: THEY

UNDERSTOOD THE PROBLEM, UNDERTOOK TO FIND OUT THE FACTS,

AND SAID THEY WOULD DO WHAT THEY COULD TO HELP.

7. VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE HAVE BEEN A MAJOR TOPIC OF

MY DISCUSSIONS HERE TOO, AS IT WAS WHEN SIR GEOFFREY

SINCE THEN THE HONG KONG

HOWE WAS HERE A MONTH AGO.

GOVERNMENT HAVE INTRODUCED A NEW POLICY.

THE BRITISH

GOVERNMENT HAD NO HESITATION IN ENDORSING THAT POLICY.

THE SITUATION SIMPLY COULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO GO ON AS IT

WAS.

./3.