TNAG-1976-FCO40-2809-Hong-Kong-illegal-immigrants-from-China--originally-Vietname-1989 — Page 47

CONFIDENTIAL

FM FCO

TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG

TELNO 831

OF 13192OZ APRIL 89

CONFIDENTIAL

HD 243/21 нко

INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING, UKMIS GENEVA, HANOI

151177

MDHOAN 9138

TOP COPY DIST?

MIPT: VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE: COAST HOPPING: DRAFT MESSAGE FROM THE SECRETARY OF STATE TO QIAN QICHEN DRAFT TEXT FOLLOWS:

1.

YOU WILL RECALL THAT WHEN WE MET IN TOKYO ON 24 FEBRUARY WE DISCUSSED THE PROBLEM OF VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE IN HONG KONG. I EMPHASISED TO YOU ON THAT OCCASION THAT IT WAS OUR FIRM INTENTION TO ENSURE THAT THE PROBLEM WAS RESOLVED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AND WELL BEFORE 1997. I ALSO STRESSED THE IMPORTANCE OF THE CO-OPERATION OF THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES, IN PARTICULAR OVER ONE ASPECT OF THE PROBLEM. THIS CONCERNS THE ASSISTANCE GIVEN TO VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE WHO STOP AT PLACES ALONG THE CHINESE COAST EN ROUTE FOR HONG KONG. THIS IS A MATTER WHICH WE HAVE RAISED WITH THE CHINESE SIDE ON REPEATED OCCASIONS, MOST RECENTLY AT THE TWELFTH MEETING OF THE JOINT LIAISON GROUP AND AT MEETINGS WHICH BOTH THE GOVERNOR OF HONG KONG AND LORD GLENARTHUR HAVE HAD WITH

VICE MINISTER ZHOU NAN.

2. SINCE OUR MEETING IN TOKYO, THE PROBLEM HAS DETERIORATED FURTHER. OVER 2,000 BOAT PEOPLE HAVE ARRIVED IN HONG KONG SO FAR THIS YEAR. THAT IS 124? HIGHER THAN THE SAME PERIOD IN 1988. WE FACE THE PROSPECT OF A MAJOR NEW INFLUX OF BOAT PEOPLE IN THE COMING MONTHS. THIS IS A PROSPECT WHICH I AND THE GOVERNOR OF HONG KONG VIEW WITH THE GREATEST CONCERN.

3.

AGAINST THIS BACKGROUND, IT IS NOW MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER THAT THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES SHOULD TAKE EFFECTIVE MEASURES TO ENSURE THAT VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE ARE NOT GIVEN ASSISTANCE AT POINTS ALONG THE CHINESE COAST. I RECOGNISE THAT THIS POSES MAJOR PRACTICAL PROBLEMS FOR THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES AND I APPRECIATE THE HUMANITARIAN FACTORS INVOLVED. BUT IT IS A FACT THAT VERY FEW OF THE BOAT PEOPLE NOW IN HONG KONG COULD HAVE REACHED THE TERRITORY UNLESS THEY HAD RECEIVED ASSISTANCE, IN MANY CASES OF A VERY SUBSTANTIAL NATURE, IN THE COURSE OF THEIR JOURNEY. IT IS ALSO LIKELY THAT MANY WOULD NOT HAVE SET OUT ON THEIR JOURNEY IF THEY WERE NOT CONFIDENT THAT SUCH ASSISTANCE WOULD BE FORTHCOMING IF IT WAS NEEDED. EFFECTIVE MEASURES BY THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES IN THIS MATTER COULD HAVE A VERY SIGNIFICANT

IMPACT ON THE CURRENT SERIOUS SITUATION.

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CONFIDENTIAL