TNAG-1802-FCO40-2562-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-refugees-resettlement-in-the-UK-1988 — Page 221

In May 1987 the Home Secretary announced a commitment to resettle 468 named refugees from Hong Kong over 2 years, at a

rate of about 20 per month. Since then the number of boat people in the territory has trebled.

4. Our record of resettlement of Indo-Chinese refugees since 1979 is an honourable one. Our performance on resettlement from Hong Kong is particularly creditable. But we believe the dramatic increase in Hong Kong's refugee population calls for a new initiative, consistent with the efforts we have made in the

past. We think this is necessary in support of the Hong Kong government, as a humanitarian response to an otherwise

intractable problem and in the hope of stimulating substantial

new commitments from others.

5. A new initiative by the UK cannot guarantee matching offers

from elsewhere. But bilateral contacts suggest strongly that we cannot hope for increased commitments from other countries, in particular the US, Canada and Australia, without giving a lead ourselves. They will expect any commitment to be commensurate with the scale of the problem and with our special responsibility

for Hong Kong.

6. There is substantial pressure in Hong Kong for us to make a

move. The issue is being seen as an important test of our commitment to the territory. In this country there is a significant body of opinion which believes we should do more including not only the voluntary agencies who might be expected to take that view but also a wider spectrum of Parliamentary and press opinion than would normally support such proposals. Internationally, attention is now focussing on all aspects of the boat people problem including resettlement: there are moves to hold an international conference on the problem next spring. The

time is ripe for us to act.

7. The Chinese have recently expressed concern that this problem should not be allowed to linger beyond 1997. They will welcome