exaggerated, circulate freely about the misbehaviour of refugees allowed out of camp to work or for recreation.
17.
The policy of the Hong Kong Government, on both liberalisation and first asylum, is widely seen locally as too "soft", particularly when contrasted with treatment of illegal immigrants from China. The UK is equally widely seen as pressurising Hong Kong to adopt this policy and then doing little to relieve the territory of its
burden.
18. By contrast, liberal opinion, both internationally and locally (particularly the former) is critical of the harshness of Hong Kong's treatment of boat people and can be expected to oppose vociferously any move to return to Vietnam those screened out as non-refugees who have not themselves volunteered to go.
19.
HMG's conditional acceptance of 1,000 more refugees for resettlement was welcomed with reservations. The media drew
attention to the conditions attached. The offer has to some extent been overshadowed by news of the more generous Canadian offer.
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