TNAG-1977-FCO40-2810-Arrivals-figures-and-procedures-for-Vietnamese-refugees-in-H-1989 — Page 126

CONFIDENTIAL

HKD 243/22

CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG

TO IMMEDIATE PEKING

TELNO 77

OF 04090OZ MAY 89

INFO IMMEDIATE FCO, HANOI, UKMIS GENEVA, WASHINGTON

035654

MDHIAN 3248

FCO TELNO 392 TO YOU: VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE: FURTHER ACTION

WITH THE CHINESE

1. THE LATEST ARRIVAL STATISTICS ARE AS FOLLOWS:

JAN

FEB

MAR

APRIL

MAY (AS AT 4 MAY)

1988

1989

358

114

91

356

349

842

1381

2918

428

1042

2607

5272

640 VBP ARRIVED IN 9 BOATS YESTERDAY (3 MAY): THE SECOND HIGHEST

NUMBER OF ARRIVALS IN ONE DAY SINCE 1979. THE AVERAGE DAILY

ARRIVAL RATE FOR THE PAST 5 DAYS NOW STANDS AT 330.

2. IN ADDITION TO THE INFORMATION IN OUR TELNO 1302 TO FCO ON ASSISTANCE GIVEN TO VBP BY CHINESE OFFICIALS, WE HAVE RECEIVED THE FOLLOWING REPORTS FROM RECENT ARRIVALS:

A. 40 VBP ARRIVED IN A BOAT ON 21 APRIL. THE MAIN GROUP OF 31 WAS ALLOWED TO CROSS THE SINO-VIETNAM BORDER AFTER PAYING 10,000 DONG PER PERSON TO SRV BORDER OFFICIALS. THEY REACHED QI SHA ON 28 MARCH WHERE THEY WERE JOINED BY 9 OTHER VBP AND PURCHASED A FISHING JUNK

FROM THE LOCAL FISHERMEN TO CONTINUE THE JOURNEY TO HONG KONG. BEFORE THEY LEFT QI SHA, LOCAL OFFICIALS PROVIDED THEM WITH 50KG OF RICE FREE OF CHARGE, AND A NOTE ASKING OTHER CHINESE COASTAL AUTHORITIES TO FACILITATE THEIR ONWARD JOURNEY.

B. 15 VBP ARRIVED IN A BOAT ON 27 APRIL. THEY REPORTED THAT THEY

REACHED LING SHUI IN EARLY APRIL AND WERE GIVEN 30 KG OF RICE AND

40 LITRES OF FUEL BY LOCAL OFFICIALS.

C. 28 VBP ARRIVED IN A BOAT ON 29 APRIL. FOUR OF THEM REPORTED

1

PAGE CONFIDENTIAL