(IV) British Policy and Actions
12. The Government share the Committee's view that the progress and prosperity of Hong Kong is of enormous importance to the United Kingdom and to British interests (paragraph 4.3). They are grateful for the Committee's analysis under this heading and have taken careful note of the Committee's recommendations (paragraphs 4.15, 4.19, 4.20, 4.21, 4.22, 4.23 and 4.24). As the Committee will be aware, work is proceeding urgently on a scheme to give people whose professional. administrative, technical and managerial skills are essential for the continued success of Hong Kong the confidence to remain in the territory. An announcement will be made as soon as possible.
13. As the Committee recommended, the Government have taken every available opportunity to seek to promote international support for the future prosperity and well- being of Hong Kong. The Prime Minister has raised the matter with her opposite numbers in the European Community and in the Commonwealth and in bilateral contacts with Heads of Government of a number of countries. Most recently the communique of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Kuala Lumpur contained a strong reassertion of support for Hong Kong. The Government's aim is to persuade the international community to join the United Kingdom in taking concrete steps to provide the clearest possible assurances to Hong Kong and its people.
14. The Government have noted the Committee's views of the need to maintain relations with the People's Republic of China (paragraph 4.25). As indicated above, they continue to attach importance to co-operation with the Chinese Government over Hong Kong and will pursue a frank and constructive dialogue with them to their end. The Government agree with the Committee that they must continue to make every effort to present British views and policies vigorously to Hong Kong, and to listen to and take account of the views of Hong Kong people (paragraph 4.29). They are devoting increasing time and resources to these important matters.
15.
As regards the Committee's recommendations on British representation in Hong Kong (paragraph 4.31) work is underway on identifying a suitable site for a future Consulate-General. The Government's aim is to have a presence that will reflect the continuing importance of Hong Kong for British interests and our continuing commitment to Hong Kong. The Government note the recommendation that HMS Tamar should be used as the site of the new Consulate-General (paragraph 4.32). The land on which HMS Tamar and the Prince of Wales building stand was allocated by the Hong Kong Government to the Ministry of Defence for use by British forces. In accordance with the long standing procedure agreed between the British and Hong Kong Governments, the land and buildings will revert to the Hong Kong Government when they are no longer required by the Ministry of Defence. The Government see no scope for using the HMS Tamar site for the British Trade Commission and the Consulate General: they are therefore looking at other sites.
(V) Vietnamese Boat People
16. The Government welcome the Committee's analysis of this intensely difficult and sensitive problem. Since the Committee's report was published the situation has deteriorated further; the Hong Kong authorities are to be congratulated on the way in which they have coped with the crisis. As the Committee rightly state. the Hong Kong Government had no alternative but to introduce a screening policy in June 1988 (paragraph 5.2). It has now been accepted by the entire international community that all those screened out as non-refugees should return to Vietnam. It is clear that voluntary returns alone cannot provide a comprehensive solution to the problem. It must be right to work for arrangements for all those who are not refugees to be returned to Vietnam in safety and dignity. The Government have been negotiating with the Vietnamese for the orderly return of those who are not refugees. No one would be returned unless the Government were fully satisfied that they would not be punished for having left, and that the Vietnamese authorities were willing to allow the treatment of all returnees to be carefully monitored. As the Committee have recommended (paragraph 5.6), the Government have made their views very clear to other governments with an interest in the problem. As the Committee have also recommended (paragraph 5.8), the Government have repeatedly pressed the Chinese Government to co-operate over the issue.
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