TNAG-1976-FCO40-2809-Hong-Kong-illegal-immigrants-from-China--originally-Vietname-1989 — Page 24

CONFIDENTIAL

007056 MDHOAN 9760

CONFIDENTIAL

FM FCO

TO DESKBY 26010OZ PEKING

TELNO 372

OF 25160OZ APRIL 89

AND TO DESKBY 26010OZ HONG KONG

нко

MKCD IST?

TOP COPY

INFO IMMEDIATE JLG HONG KONG, UKMIS GENEVA, WASHINGTON

(19)

MIPT: VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE COAST HOPPING: MESSAGE TO QAIN QICHEN:

TEXT AS FOLLOWS: BEGINS:

1.

WHEN WE MET IN TOKYO ON 24 FEBRUARY WE DISCUSSED THE SERIOUS PROBLEM OF VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE IN HONG KONG. SINCE THEN, THE SITUATION HAS DETERIORATED. MORE THAN 2,800 BOAT PEOPLE HAVE ARRIVED IN HONG KONG SO FAR THIS YEAR, OVER DOUBLE THE LEVEL FOR THE SAME PERIOD IN 1988. UNLESS URGENT STEPS ARE TAKEN, MANY THOUSANDS MORE WILL ARRIVE IN THE COMING MONTHS WHEN WEATHER CONDITIONS FAVOUR THE JOURNEY FROM VIETNAM. THIS IS A PROSPECT WHICH I AND THE GOVERNOR OF HONG KONG VIEW WITH DEEP CONCERN. 2. IT IS A FACT THAT MOST OF THE BOAT PEOPLE NOW IN HONG KONG HAVE BEEN HELPED IN THE COURSE OF THEIR JOURNEY AT POINTS ALONG THE CHINESE COAST. WITHOUT SUCH ASSISTANCE, THEY COULD NOT HAVE REACHED THE TERRITORY, AND HONG KONG WOULD NOT HAVE THE PROBLEM WHICH IT NOW FACES.

3.

I AM WELL AWARE OF THE DIFFICULTIES WHICH THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES FACE IN DISCOURAGING SUCH ASSISTANCE AND ARE GRATEFUL FOR THE MEASURES ALREADY TAKEN. IT IS HOWEVER CLEAR FROM INFORMATION OBTAINED FROM RECENT VIETNAMESE ARRIVALS IN HONG KONG THAT HELP IS STILL BEING GIVEN. WE ARE PASSING DETAILED

INFORMATION ON CASES OF THIS SORT THROUGH THE EMBASSY IN PEKING AND THROUGH THE NCNA IN HONG KONG.

4. WE HAVE RECENTLY SUGGESTED A NUMBER OF STEPS WHICH MIGHT BE TAKEN BY THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES. THESE INCLUDE ISSUING INSTRUCTIONS TO OFFICIALS IN THE PORTS CONCERNED THAT BOAT PEOPLE SHOULD NOT BE GIVEN ASSISTANCE TO CONTINUE THEIR JOURNEY TO HONG KONG AND THAT THEY SHOULD BE WARNED OF HONG KONG'S FIRM POLICY OF SCREENING AND DETENTION, PENDING REPATRIATION TO VIETNAM. WE HAVE ALSO SUGGESTED THAT IT MIGHT BE USEFUL IF CHINESE BROADCASTS AIMED AT VIETNAM COULD CONVEY A SIMILAR MESSAGE.

5.

THE SERIOUSNESS OF THE SITUATION IN HONG KONG NOW CALLS FOR FURTHER JOINT EFFORTS TO STEM THE FLOW OF BOAT PEOPLE. I BELIEVE THAT THE TIME HAS COME FOR CHINA TO ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THOSE BOAT PEOPLE WHO ARRIVE AT POINTS ALONG THE CHINESE COAST IN

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