TNAG-1786-FCO40-2546-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-refugees-closed-camp-policy-1988 — Page 73

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FACT SHEET

BOAT PEOPLE: Vietnamese Refugees in Hong Kong

Present Position

Refugee population as at 1 February 1988: 9 773.

Background

2. Hong Kong, with a land area of only 1 067 sq kms, three quarters of which being unproductive hillside and barren islets, has a population of 5.4 million. This is equivalent to an overall population density of 5 185 persons per sq km, compared to 230 in UK and 22 in the USA. In one district, Sham Shui Po, there are about 165 000 persons per sq km. 98% of the population is Chinese.

3. In the past, illegal immigration has been the major threat to population growth. The total number of legal and illegal immigrants from China over the last ten years was about 630 000. This represents an addition of 12% to the local population during this period or an average of 1.2o per annum. In 1985, the natural growth in population was 58 800 or 1.1% of the total. Legal immigrants from China averaged 75 daily, a total of 27 202 or 0.5% of the population. For the past twelve months, 2 daily average of 75 illegal immigrants were intercepted attempting to enter Hong Kong. All are returned immediately.

Arrivals in Hong Kong

4. The first Vietnamese refugees to arrive in Hong Kong were the 3 743 on board! the Clara Maersk in May 1975. Thereafter, refugees continued to arrive and the trickle of the following years turned into a flood in the first seven months of 1979 when 66 045 arrived. The rate of arrivals fell sharply after the Geneva Conference in July 1979; nevertheless arrivals since then have been substantial—6 788 in 1980, 8 470 in 1981, 7 836 in 1982, 3 651 in 1983, 2 230 in 1984, 1 112 in 1985, 2 059 in 1986 and 3 395 in 1987. A total of 358 refugees arrived in January 1988, compared with 155 for the same month last year. (Complete statistics are at Appendix A).

5. All refugees in small boats have been given asylum; none have been turned away.

6.

Vietnamese refugees do not only arrive in Hong Kong by small boat. Some refugees have been brought here after rescue at sea by ocean-going vessels. The breakdown of arrivals since 1980 is:-

Small Boat Cases

1980

5 908 in 200 boats

1981

6 674 in 235 boats

1982

7 403 in 263 boats

1983

3 301 in 142 boats

1984

1 888 in 77 boats

1985

1069 in 49 boats

1986

1 817 in 102 boats

1987

3 291 in 165 boats

1988

358 in 8 boats

Ship-rescue Cass

880 in 20 ships 1 796 in 34 ships

Total Arrivals

6 788

8 470

433 in 7 ships

7836

350 in 7 shigs

3 651

342 in 17 ships

2 230

43 in 3 ships

1 112

238 in 5 ships

2 055

104 in 5 ships

3.395

358

7. Since April 1981 refugees who were rescued at sea are detained pending resessement overseas within 90 days. On 1 February 1988 there were 19 such cases in Hong Kong.