TNAG-2169-FCO40-3106-House-of-Commons-Foreign-Affairs-Committee-inquiry-into-Hong-1990 — Page 26

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accommodate larger plane-loads than were going before. So there should be

a regular flow before long of around 1,000 returns a month.

13.

The figures you have just given us actually show that the

number of arrivals has dropped by 87 percent

-

something like 3,627 as

opposed to something over 23,000, I think, in total in 1989.

(Mr Maude) It was more like 25,000 by this stage last year.

14.

Could you confirm that the majority of the people who are now

coming both are ethnic Chinese and are coming from South and not North

Vietnam?

(Mr Maude) I do not think I can confirm the first. Certainly the

majority come from South Vietnam. There is a very big difference in

pattern from last year. The flow from the North has more or less dried up.

Certainly the overwhelming majority of those from the South come not by

boat but by land for nearly all the way and travel simply the last few

miles from the Pearl River Delta by boat. Clearly some of those coming

from the South are ethnic Chinese, but I do not think it is right to say

the majority of them are.

15.

The figures I have from Hong Kong would suggest 771 are ethnic

Vietnamese from both North and South and 2,220 are ethnic Chinese from

North and South. Perhaps we can compare figures. I think it is quite

important with regard to where people return to. The other question I want

to ask is, have any new camps been opened in Hong Kong?

(Mr Maude) No new camps have been opened. There has been a programme

of improvements to existing camps and there is work, I think, already

proceeding at Tai ah Chow which was the uninhabited island used temporarily

last year when the influx was at its worst when there simply was not any

space anywhere else to be used. A proper camp is now being built there but

I do not think it is yet in operation.

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