TNAG-1987-FCO40-2820-Presentation-of-UK-policy-on-Hong-Kong-to-the-media-1989 — Page 180

suitable amendments so that the Basic Law will command confidence in

Hong Kong.

REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT

Following the events in early June in China, there has been growing pressure in Hong Kong for a faster pace of development towards representative Government than was set out in the 1988 Hong Kong Government White Paper which made provision for 10 directly elected seats in 1991. Members of the Executive and Legislative Councils (OMELCO) have now resolved to recommend that in 1991 there should be 60 seats: one third directly elected; one third functional constituencies (ie representatives of particular groups such as lawyers, teachers, trades unions); and one third appointed and official (ie civil servants). Further, in 1995 no less than 50% of the seats should be directly elected. These proposals are now under consideration. The Government will be encouraging the Chinese authorities to amend the relevant provisions of the Basic Law that they are in line with the wishes of Hong Kong people.

SO

VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE

Since 1975, over 160,000 Vietnamese have been given temporary asylum in Hong Kong. Some 110,000 have been resettled, around 62,000 to the USA and over 13,000 to the UK. Since 1987 there has been a renewed and dramatic increase in the number of people leaving Vietnam : over 18,000 arrived in Hong Kong in 1988 and the figure for 1989 is now approaching 30,000. But whereas the early boat people were fleeing political persecution from the Hanoi regime, those of recent years have been predominantly farmers and fishermen from the North, leaving in search of a better life.

Since June 1988 new arrivals in Hong Kong have been screened to determine whether they are refugees or simply economic migrants. The camp population in Hong Kong now stands at 52,000, of whom 13,500 are refugees and the bulk of the remainder await screening. Results of the screening process (which is supervised by UNHCR) have indicated that 90% of new arrivals are economic migrants.

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