X
VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE IN HONG KONG
Peribals to make
Concerned that recent statements by Chinese officials indicate
misunderstanding of our policy. Our firm intention to achieve
earliest possible departure from Hong Kong of boat people for
resettlement elsewhere or repatriation to Vietnam.
Hope the Chinese authorities can stop assistance being given to boat people in South China on their way to Hong Kong. Hope Chinese
authorities will take early action to enable prompt return to
settled
Guangxi of Vietnamese from there who have entered Hong Kong
illegally.
Background
had
more
Li
41. Li Hou, Ji Pengfei and Zhou Nan have recently, commented
Chinese had raised the problem. * publicly on this issue. They said that the problem had been raised
with HMG, and stressed that it should be resolved before 1997. Hou raised doubts about the policy of opening camps for refugees, which he said had encouraged/Vietnamese to go to Hong Kong. He said that China would not recognise refugees as Hong Kong residents after
1997. He referred to the different treatment accorded to Chinese
and Vietnamese illegal immigrants in Hong Kong. These comments
TIME increase the pressure on the Hong Kong Government and on us on this
difficult issue. They have also led to criticism in Hong Kong of
Chinese interference in the administration of Hong Kong.
← 2. The Chinese have in practice a major role to play in resolving
the problem. Most arrivals in Hong Kong receive substantial help en
route in South China (recently this has included permission to stay
in China for up to 5 months, and assistance in obtaining a
sea-worthy vesel in order to continue their journey to Hong Kong). They could also help by promptly accepting back the 953 Vietnamese now in Hong Kong who come from resettlement towns in South China.
I
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