CONFIDENTIAL
036244
MDHIAN 6812
(F) A GROUP OF 31 VBP WHO ARRIVED IN HONG KONG ON 11 MARCH HAVE REPORTED THAT THEY LEFT QUANG NINH IN VIETNAM ON 15 DECEMBER IN TWO BOATS. BOTH BOATS SANK NEAR HAI AN IN CHINA IN EARLY JANUARY. THE PEOPLE WERE RESCUED AND WERE TRANSFERRED BY BUS TO XU WEN WHERE THEY STAYED UNTIL 21 FEBRUARY. DURING THEIR STAY THEY WERE PROVIDED WITH FOOD AND ACCOMMODATION BY LOCAL CHINESE OFFICIALS. THEY WRE MOVED BACK TO HAI AN WHERE CHINESE OFFICIALS PROVIDED THEM WITH A MOTORISED JUNK, 100KG OF RICE, 250 LITRES OF FUEL, VEGETABLES AND WATER TO ENABLE THEM TO CONTINUE THEIR JOURNEY TO HONG KONG.
4. WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR CHINESE EFFORTS TO EXPLAIN HONG KONG'S POLICY BUT AS CAN BE SEEN FROM THE CASES DESCRIBED ABOVE CHINESE OFFICIALS ARE STILL PROVIDING ASSISTANCE TO VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE AND ARE ALSO PERMITTING THEM IN SOME CASES TO WORK IN CHINA WHILST MAKING THEIR WAY TO HONG KONG. STRICTER MEASURES ARE REQUIRED.
ENDS
WILSON
YYYY
ΜΑΙΝ
96
DISTRIBUTION
102
.VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE IN HK
LIMITED
HKD
SEAD
UND
LEGAL ADVISERS
PUSD
ECD (E)
FED
NAD
NEWS
PS
PS/LORD GLENARTHUR
PS/MR PATTEN ODA
PS MR EGGAR
PS/PUS
MR GILLMORE
MR SLATER
MR MCLAREN
ADDITIONAL
MR MACHIN ODA 2 COPIES
MR G-HARRISON ODA
MR FLESHER BI DIV HO LUNAR HSE HKGO LONDON
NWVNN
MRS B FAIR VSU QUEEN ANNES GTE (HOME OFFICE)
PAGE
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CONFIDENTIAL
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