Conference have come under increasing strain.
From 1987
a ne xodus began, while the rate of resettlement fell.
In 1988, 18,000 boat people arrived in Hong Kong:
resettlement amounted to 2,700.
44.
During the past few years the pattern of arrivals
About 70 per cent of
in Hong Kong has also changed.
recent arrivals are from the northern part of Vietnam.
The great majority are farmers and fishermen.
Many of
the resettlement countries have raised doubts about
whether such people are in fact genuine refugees or
simply economic migrants.
45. These changing circumstances led to the Hong Kong
Government, with the full support of the British
Government, to alter their approach to the granting of
refugee status.
arriving in Hong Kong from Vietnam have been subject to a
screening procedure to determine their status as either
genuine refugees or economic migrants. New arrivals are
therefore no longer automatically given refugee status.
Those who are found to be genuine refugees will be moved
to a refugee camp to await resettlement overseas. Those
who do not qualify as refugees will not have access to
resettlement. It is clear that their future lies in
From 16 June 1988, all boat people
Vietnam and that it is right to work for acceptable
arrangments to this end including satisfactory safeguards
for their treatment on return. Such arrangements are
in line with the Hong Kong Government's policy that all
illegal immigrants, whichever country they come from,
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