refugee-problem-in-hong-kong-and-macao — Page 9

things in reverse from President Kennedy. You went to Yale and
then you wentto Harvard. I note he went to Harvard first, and got
a degree from Yale the other day.
Relative to the problem of the Chinese born in London , who is
regarded as a Chinese and cannot come as a Britisher, that reminds
me of the bill I introduced for the wife of a Spanish professor who
was teaching in a school in Honolulu . He was of Spanish ancestry,
but his wife was of Chinese ancestry. He was allowed to come to the
school in Honolulu to teach, but his wife was not allowed to come,
because she was of Chinese ancestry. So I had to introduce a bill
here, and had her charged to theSpanish quota.. By doing that she
was allowed to come under the Spanish quota, and she finally was
admitted .
.. Now , Mr. Chin , you urge the admission ofChinese refugees, and you
feel that the 105 quota is a very , very small quota in relation to the
156,000 refugees that are admitted to the United States.
There are quite a number of people in theUnited States who will
disagree withyou as to whetherwe should allow any more Orientals
to come into the country.
Proponents of the larger immigration quota have neglected to use
one argument which I think will do much to soften opposition. The
argument that has been advanced most strongly as to why we should
limit the Oriental quota is that we do not want our mores and cus
toms, and things we are accustomed to, influenced by Oriental cul
ture. But when you look at the census of the United States, the last
census, and I had a chance to examine it, and relate the number of
Oriental people and non -Caucasian people in the United States in
relation to the population of the United States, you will find it is a
very revealing picture.
140 REFUGEE PROBLEM IN HONG KONG AND MACAO

Of the 180 million people in the United States, 10 percent, or ap
proximately 18 million, have some Negro blood. And of the non
Caucasian people, outside of the Negro people, there are approxi
mately 500,000 American Indians. And whenyou look at the figures,
as they pertain to the Japanese, Chinese, Koreans, Filipinos, Indo
nesians, and the Polynesians, and they are all grouped as non -Cauca
sians, you find a very, very revealing story, that it is such a small
infinitesimal group on the American scene. This group comprises less
than one-halfof 1 percentof the total population of the United States.
The United States has 180 millionpeople, and there are approxi
mately 800,000 to 900,000 non -Caucasians -- that is, excluding the
Negroes and excluding the American Indian . - And of this 800,000
people, approximately one-half of them are found in the State of
Hawaii; that is, the census shows there are approximately 450,000
persons of Japanese ancestry. There are approximately 237,000 of
Chinese ancestry, approximately 177,000 of Filipino ancestry, a few
of Korean, Indonesian, and East Indian ancestry, and approximately
100,000 ofPolynesian ancestry.
All these, when added together, constitute approximately one- half
of 1 percent of the whole American population.
So to those who cry that you are going to orientalize America, that
you are going to bring in a foreign culture, and foreign customs that
will be determental to our culture, you can see that the argument does
not hold any water, because this is so small.
And I think once the American people realize how insignificant
the group is, that even if you doubled the whole number of double the
number of people of non-Caucasian ancestry here, you will increase
it to only 1 percentof the whole population.
Senator Hart. These figures I did not know. They are interesting.
Senator Fong. Theyare very interesting.
Senator HART. It will serve as an alibi for the Caucasians when we
are asked why is it that we have so many juvenile delinquents and the
non -Caucasians have so few . The alibi will be, there are so very few
non -Caucasians.
Senator Fong. That isvery true.
Mr. Chin. Could I add a point here ?
It would seem your last statement is true. However, I think it
might be interesting to evaluate the percentage of juvenile delinquents
byethnic groups,to show that the Chinese really have lived an
exemplary life, because I think that the numbers that are involved that
you ever read about are probably less than an iota of 1 percent.
I would like to stress apoint Imade in the talk which is in regard to
our position vis-a - vis the worldtoday.
Here we have let in many Hungarian fighters and Cuban refugees.
I believe the Cubans have numbered about 150,000. Now, I think
no one in the United States, whether he is Caucasian or Chinese, has
any qualms about this. We are very happy that these unfortunate
Cubans have been able to get into the United States. But when it
comes to the Chinese, I think it is very important that we make thisa
liberal number because the world, which is predominantly nonwhite
as you look at the number of colored people throughout the world
really does look at the way we practice our democracy and says, “Well,
how is it that you open the door a little ways for the Chinese, whereas
 REFUGEE PROBLEM IN HONG KONG AND MACAO 141

for someone that you get involved with politically and closer to home,
>
likeCuba, you allow more to come in ."
We think that equality in treatment in granting equal rights to im
migrants similar to the 14th amendment of the Constitution should
be applied inprinciple at this juncture.
Secondly, I would like to comment on the statement made by Mr.
Yee from San Francisco in reply to your question ; namely, "What is
the younger Chinese -American people's attitude toward allowing
these refugees from Hong Kong in ?”
I have had a great deal of contact with the Chinese young people.
I have worked with them in the Chinese Christian Youth Conference,
which is a religious group, nondenominational, extending throughout
the east coast of theUnited States. We have been in operation for
about 17 years. We have a sister conference in California, which
has been going for 25 years . We have delegatesfrom Toronto, Boston,
New York, Washington , Philadelphia and Cleveland. They come
from all over, so that we have a fairly fine representation there.
From our discussions with them , as well as with the many groups in
the New York area, I can state unequivocally that the young people
are just as concerned as the older people that the Hong Kong refugees
get the opportunity of freedom to come over here.
In spite of the fact that we of the younger generation who are first
born here in the United States have not lived in the old country,
nevertheless, we have, vicariously, experienced it, since our family
>

training has taught us the Chinese culture as well as the family re
sponsibility and respect to the elders. Furthermore, many of us are
conversant in Chinese and are intimately acquainted with Chinese
problems. For example, IІ speak two dialects in Chinese in addition
to English, and have a knowledge of French . So I feel that the
younger generation is attuned tothe older generation in wanting to
help the refugees. It is particularly in the province of the young
generation wherein lies the hope, I feel, for the future. The older
generation was denied the rights to education which limited their
work opportunity. I think we are in a veryunique situation where we
have had the opportunity of education and have gone into all these
various fields. We have the power now to emphasize to the American
public the feeling that many of these Chinese in the past have felt of
discriminatory practices in excluding them , of being denied equal
rights to comeinto the United States.
On this point, I think that we are equally as concerned as the first
generation, or the man who is in his seventies, as to helping these peo
ple in Hong Kong. I just want to state for the record that the young
people are as strongly for the proposals as the older generation.
Senator Fong. Let meask you another question.
In San Francisco there are quite a numberof these societies, district
societies and clan societies. I presume in New York you have the
same number of societies.
Mr. CHIN. Well, I will not compare the actual numbers in the re
spective cities.
I know there are approximately 60 family associations in New York
City. We have the Chinese Benevolent Association as well as the
Chinese Chamber of Commerce, which represents many of the business
men . We have restaurant associations, and laundry associations.
We have approximately, I would say, 25 young people's groups.
87544-62-10
142 REFUGEE PROBLEM IN HONG KONG AND MACAO


We have a Long Island circle, which contacted me just yesterday
about what they can do. I have been contacted by, I would say, at
least five or six different organizations very recently. And here I
found this universal feeling “What can we do to help the people ,
we want to either help them financially or help them adjust." And
I think this is where we in the younger group can work with the
older group in helping them , because once your committee and once the
United States does allow these refugees in, then comes the problem of
adjustment.
I think that we have this capability, in that we have the linguistic
background, including the knowledge of what problems a Chinese
faces in adjustment to America .
We think we can help them to get jobs. We are acquainted with
people who are in need for employment. The Junior Chamber of
Commerce sponsored this year a vocational guidance course running
for 3 weeks consecutively. We were able to bring in professionals
from each type of career that we could imagine. And we feel that
perhaps we can organize this across the board in every occupation,
both throughout this area and nationally, so that these people will be
able to work into the American scene much smoother than ifthey were
left to their own problems.
Senator Fong. What you are really saying is that your organiza
tion will do everything to see that they are taken careof, that they will
become good American citizens, and that they will not be public
charges.
Mr. CHIN . Yes.
As you mentioned quite well before, Senator Fong, the Chinese
associations have a splendid record in taking care of the old people,
and any problems which come up.
I know personally in New York there are cases where a husband
died and the widow was helped financially and in every other way
they could. The people are usually taken care of bythe association.
So that in practical numbers, I feel that there will be no public
charges. The United States can be assured we will do our utmost to
take care of any problems which arise .
Of course, this takes a lot of work by community-minded people.
I think that the expressions that have been made to me have indicated
that there is a universality of interest in this, and that many people
will work on these commitments.
Senator Fong. Was it not a characteristic of the old Chinese people
who first came to this country, first they would buy a cemetery to bury
their dead ?
Second, they would contribute for a clubhouse so that they could
meet, and when they get old they can live there !
Is that not characteristic of the Chinese people ?
Mr. CHIN . I suppose that is correct.
You are much older and therefore much wiser than I in that respect.
Senator Fong. You must have several Chinese cemeteries in New
York.
Mr. Chin . I think there are cemeteries in Brooklyn.
Senator Fong. Thank you.
Senator HART. Mr. Johnson ?
Mr. De Haan ?
 REFUGEE PROBLEM IN HONG KONG AND MACAO 143

Mr. CHIN. I thank you.
Senator HART. Mr. Chin, we are very grateful to you.
Now, Mr. Ross I. Dixon, Shanghai Tiffin Club, New York City.
STATEMENT OF ROSS I. DIXON, PRESIDENT , SHANGHAI TIFFIN
CLUB, NEW YORK , N.Y.
Mr. Dixon . Mr. Chairman, I am Ross Dixon. I speak as a citizen
of the United States who lived in China and taught in a Chinese
school from 1943 to 1947, and as one who has maintained a deep and
active interest in China and the Chinese over the intervening years.
I am president of the Shanghai Tiffin Club, an organization composed
of over 300 Chinese and American members, nearly all of whom have
lived and worked in China. It was established in 1924. I am also
a trustee of the Yale- in- China Association which currently assists in
the support of New Asia College in Hong Kong.
Through the long dark days and years of World War II, one thing
alone sustained the Chinese in their agony. This was hope, their hope
for the future. It is around this concept, hope, this powerful, sus
taining, and activating idea that I wish to organize mybriefremarks.
This committee has heard much expert testimony delineating the
magnitude of the Chinese refugee problem which has recently been
brought into focus so forcefully in southeast Asia, particularly in
Hong Kong and to some extent, at least, similarly in Macao. The
thrust of large numbers of persons across the borders with the threat
of even vaster numbers lying behind have presented both a frighten
ing picture and have challenged the ingenuity and resources of the
free world .
The heroic efforts of the Government of Hong Kong to meet a
critical situation have been noted in the statements of several of the
representatives of the major professional organizations dealing with
refugees and their problems in the crown colony. It has been sug
gested before this committee and elsewhere that the Hong Kong au
thorities had little choice but to attempt to turn back the human tide
trying to breach their gates.
It is well known that within Hong Kong, itself, there is a con
tinuing and growing problem of staggering proportions. The testi
.
mony of the representatives of the major international refugee
agencies seems to indicate, however, that adequate supplies of food
exist and are being distributed cooperatively with crown colony au
thorities. Other items such as clothing, medical supplies, blankets,
and the like also appear to be available in sufficient quantity for all
but the most violently critical situation .
The essential problem defined by the facts presented to this com
mittee appears not to be one of the compelling need for more adequate
direct relief in terms of food, clothing, and medical supplies to sustain
human lives at the survival level. What is suggested is the need for
ạ carefully prepared long-range resettlement plan involving a co
operative international effort.
Supporting the lives of fellow human beings in their time of need
is, of course , a first necessity. But international welfare and relief
agency workers are , I am told, all too familiar with the grinding
human misery contained in refugee camps and depots which has con
144 REFUGEE PROBLEM IN HONG KONG AND MACAO


tinued for years on end until hope for the future is all but snuffed
out.
I should like to present for the consideration of this committee the
concept that almost more important than the need to sustain life,
itself, is the need to sustain hope, the hope of a better life to come.
I believe that mankind is happiest when productive and useful. If
this is true, it would appear, therefore, that the nations of the free
world might undertaketoaccept the responsibility of creating those
conditions necessary to rehabilitate and train and resettle at least a
substantial portion of those refugees which cling to the hillsides of
Hong Kong.
There is no easy solution to this refugee problem in Hong Kong and
Macao. There is no easy solution to any refugee problem when there
are large numbers of refugees fleeing from poverty, famine, or
tyranny. It is not suggested here that the countries of the free world
can absorb millions of refugees and thus solve the refugee problem .
It is suggested that a positive program can and should be undertaken
to demonstrate that free world citizens are interested in what happens
to their fellow human beings and are able to do something constructive
on their behalf. In this way hope is kept alive.
The refugee problem we are discussing cannot be considered a prob
lem for Hong Kong to solve. Nor should it be considered a problem
for the Republic of China (Taiwan ) to solve. These two areas are
already among the most highly populated in the world today. The
refugee problem is a free world problem and a free world challenge.
The United States is the leader of the free world and it provides
hope to men everywhere. I believe it can and should provide the
necessary leadership so that the entire free world can respond to a
critical problem in a constructive and positive way. This in itself
will give hope to peoples everywhere.
A fruitful avenue of approach might well be the exploration of
areas — and by this I mean world areas — where refugee farmers can
be resettled and productively used. Mutual benefits might accrue to
other areas and to refugees alike with the resettlement of fishermen
or workers where the labor supply is short. The United States, itself,
as evidence of a personal concern, could undoubtedly usefully admit a
larger number than the present immigration quota provides.
Other countries mightwell be more willingto admit Chinese refu
gees if assistance were givenwith the initial problems of resettlement
and adjustment. I should like to suggest at this point that the United
States is perhaps in a unique position to give assistance of this nature.
We have in thepublic sector and in our privateorganizations the pro
fessional personnel to give necessary guidance, should it be calledupon.
The enthusiastic response of our Nation's youth to the challenge
and opportunities provided by the Peace Corps for sustained periods
of direct service is well known. In this connection it should be noted
that there are nearly 5,000 Chinese students studying in the United
States. After careful consideration and negotiation it is possible that
a creativeand imaginative step might be taken by inviting a certain
number of these Chinese students to work with young Americans on
resettlement and its attendant problem in those areas where it would
be requested and appropriate.
 REFUGEE PROBLEM IN HONG KONG AND MACAO 145

My remarks are intended to be suggestive only. I believe they may
be worthy of review by those chargedwith the responsibility of formu
lating and implementing our policies with respect to the refugee prob
lems we havebeen considering.
I should like to thank thiscommittee for the opportunity of pre
senting my views.
Senator Hart. Mr. Dixon, we do appreciate your expression of
views.
The point you suggest — that one of the basic, and really one of the
only long- term effective measures, is the easing of pressure through
resettlement across the world — the more we talk about this, and the
more people talk to us about it, the more persuasive it seems to me.
Some of these immediate, short -term , occasionally dramatic assists
are fine, but they do not get the nub of the problem by a long shot.
Mr. Dixon. Yes, sir.
Senator HART. You sketch very ably a direction about which I think
we should , as a people and as a government, have concern about.
May I inquire a little more about your own activities ?
You identify yourself in connection with your interest in China ?
Mr. Dixon. Professionally, I am a deputy director at the Institute
of International Education , which is a private organization dealing
with the exchange of students - sending Americans abroad and bring
ing foreign students to the United States.
As I say, we are a private organization, but we do hold certain
Government contracts, including administration of the Fulbright and
Smith -Mundt students, and so on .
I have all my life been connected with young people, either as a
teacher or in camp work, or in China. And I would like to perhaps
emphasize informally that I think that young people can beuseful
in this. There area great number of Chinese students in theUnited
States with whom I have considerable relationship. In a problem of
this nature, where Chinese refugees are involved, I think that they
might be enlisted, or invited, to serve in a kind of Peace Corps idea,
perhaps along with American young people, to provide the legwork
and this sort of thing.
I have here, if the chairman will permit me, an eyewitnessreport,
which I have excerpted violently, from one of our staff, Mr. Timothy
Light, who is a Yali bachelor at the New Asia College, who himself
went into the hills.
Would you like to hear a few sentences from this report ?
Senator HART. By all means. I think we would benefit by having
them made a part of the record, if there is nothing that is
embarrassing.
Mr. Dixon. No, and I think it would be very interesting.
It is by Timothy Light, a Yali bachelor at the New Asia College.
It was written in May 1962:
I have wanted to put down on paper what I have seen of the refugee flood
into Hong Kong, and now I have the time. A week ago Monday, that is,
May 13, Gregg Prince and I went to the new territories near one of the border
areas where many were coming in. Over the previous weekend, the numbers
had grown to large proportions, into the hundreds, and it was becoming a
fact, and not just rumor, that the Communist guards were for some reason not
hindering people from leaving the mainland .
146 REFUGEE PROBLEM IN HONG KONG AND MACAO


So we went to find a place to sleep and found one facing a hill that we later
learned was covered with newly escaped people, and continued to be so for
several days on end. Early in the morning we saw moving lights and fires at
either end of the ridge that crowned the hill. Soldiers had spent the night, too,
and they were getting the jump on the refugees sleeping in bushes before they
awoke.
When it was time to hurry back to town for class, we rode down in one of the
jeeps with a group of refugees being taken to the camp. They showed us their
mainland food coupons which they wanted to give the foreigners as souvenirs.
It seemed that they did not realize that they would be back in the mainland
that very evening, and were thinking that they no longer needed them.
At the bottom of the hill we got out of the jeep and with us got out a police
man, who had rather nervously told us not to take picturesat the top, and not
to meddle. Now, he being highly nervous, he asked us for our names and
addresses. He did not like his job one bit, and promised that he would not
turn the names in unless asked to by his superiors. I have heard since that on
occasion policemen who were sure they were not being watched very often helped
refugees escape through the lines, and get into the urban area. Certainly it is
no pleasant position to be in for a Chinese enforcing a British Government's
order to throw other Chinese out, and the only determined police I have seen
have been the British themselves.
There was much confusion . People were ready to do something, but no one
was sure what to do. Following different instructions, we started off in half
a dozen different directions to find small, hidden groups of people who needed
food .
The last time we went out was the date I began this letter, and then most
things were pretty much calmed down. The mainland had announced the 25th
of May was a deadline for free escaping, and there were already reports of
Communist guards shooting the people who attempted to cross . The papers
say there is still some crossing, but not much, for 4 years of forced labor have
been threatened for any who are returned now .
Senator HART. In full, I am sure the report would be very useful .
Mr. Dixon. I can make copies available to the committee by mail.
Senator Hart. We would appreciate that, yes.
Senator Fong. Mr. Dixon , I cannot agree with you more than the
two points made in your statement. It is so necessary that we keep
hope in the hearts of the refugees, and the question of resettling around
various places in the world .
That recalls to mind the other day a Mr. Ishuu, an Okinawan liaison
officer who came to my office. Hehad been working in Bolivia .
There is an intergovernmental agreement among the Okinawan
government, Bolivia , and our Government, to relocate some of the
Okinawan people who were displaced from their homes on Okinawa
because of the use of their lands by our military.
Mr. Ishuu came to my office, and he wanted to know as to what he
should do to secure the appropriation that had been made for the
resettlement of these people. He told me and he told Mr. Nishimura
also that there were approximately 6,000 Okinawans in Bolivia.
There are about a thousand Japanese in Bolivia . And that they had
been given around 500,000 hectares of land — which would be about a
million and a half acres of land to work as their resettlement area.
In this area they were putting up their homes. They were planting
rice and soybeans. And now they were looking for some help to build
a factory to extractoil from the soybeans.
It seems that this project is going along very, very well. It is an
indication what intergovernmental agreement can do in this type of
work. And I think that is what you are referring to ; is that right?
Mr. Dixon . Yes. Ithink many of the less powerful governments,
perhaps, might say, “Yes, we could, but we donot have the personnel
 REFUGEE PROBLEM IN HONG KONG AND MACAO 147

to handle this kind of situation . We have the land, we have things
that need doing. And if we could get assistance in doing this, even
personnel, young people who speak Chinese” —and that sort of thing.
Senat FONG Thank you.
or .
Senator HART. Mr. Dixon, thank you .
Mr. Dixon . Thank you.
Senator Hart. I may have omitted this when Mr. Yee was on the
stand. I know he was accompanied by Mr. Hong and Mr. Louie.
Committee counsel has received a statement from Mr. Hong. May
I inquire, Mr. Hong, if you wanted to supplement this by any state
ment from the stand?
It was not our intention not to hear you. Come on up.
STATEMENT OF NGAI HO HONG , SAN FRANCISCO, CALIF.
Mr. Hong. Mr. Chairman and honorable members of the committee,
this statement, although I have not had it printed, I wish to more or
less supplement the statement of our association, the Chinese-Ameri
can Citizens Alliance.
Briefly speaking
Senator Fong. Mr. Hong, the three of you are from San Francisco ?
Mr. Hong . That is correct.
Senator HART. Is Mr. Louie still here ?
Mr. LOUIE. Yes, I am right here.
Senator HART. Would you care to come up, Mr.Louie—in case you
would like to add anything before the record closes ?
Senator Fong. Chinese -American Citizens Alliance .
Mr. LOUIE. They are the spokesmen . I know the Senator very well.
To say I know everything is impossible, but I can say this : I am the
only one from San Francisco that has served as a past president of
three groups that arefrom the oldgeneration to theyoung.
I am a past president of the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent As
sociation, a past presidentofthe Chinese Chamber of Commerce, and
a past president of the Chinese -American Citizens Alliance. And
besides that, I have been a past vice president of the Council of the
Chinese Communityof San Francisco ,and a lieutenantgovernor of the
Optimists Club, and so many other titles people say I devote all my
time to civic work, and not do any of my ownwork , which is correct.
Because my wife thinks SO, too .
So I will let the lawyers do the talking, and thanks for asking me to
come up here.
Senator HART. Thank you for coming. That maxim of letting your
lawyer do the talking is heard in other committees around here too ..
Senator Fong. Mr. Chairman, I know Mr. Louie very, very well.
He is a very respected citizen in the city of San Francisco, in fact,
in all of California. He is known as a very hard worker, and a very
civic -minded person. As he said , his wife complains he spends too
much time in civic work. I think many of his friends feel he is
devoting more time to civic work than to his private business. For
that we like to commend him.
Senator Hart. Yes. We want right now to commend all three who
traveled this great distance to express before the committee their
ideas and theiraspirations. I am sure we will be much the better for
having them.
148 REFUGEE PROBLEM IN HONG KONG AND MACAO


Mr. Hong. Mr. Chairman, if I can indulge the committee, a little
of your time, I would like to have read into the record what I have
stated here.
Firstly, my name is NgaiHo Hong. I am a practicing attorney in
San Francisco. Presently I am serving as the vice grand president
of the Chinese-American Citizens Alliance.
As has been stated earlier, this problem created by the mass migra
tion of Chinese refugees from mainland China to Hong Kong is begin
ning to take on the aspect of an international problem .
The way in which this problem is met and the means by which the
solution is brought into beingwill have worldwide significance. In
fact, the determination as to whether the Communistic ideologies will
be building to a new high or whether it will start their long -overdue de
scent may very well be based at this turningpoint. The problem is
one of the gravest order. It is one which will merit and demand our
most sincere and concentrated effort.
According to statistics made available to me, there are about 2,000
pending cases of first preference, 813 pending cases of second prefer
ence, 569 pending cases of third preference, and 1,500 pending cases
of fourth preference, giving us à rough total of about 5,000 cases.
It is hoped that section 212 ( d ) ( 5 ) of the Immigration and Naturaliza
tion Act would be applied to these cases.
At the present time, it is my understanding that as to the nonpref
erence cases, thetotal numberamounted to about 27,241. These cases
have previously been placed in the files of the American consulate.
The people involved in these nonpreference cases are not recent es
capees from the China mainland, but they are the ones who escaped
toHong Kong and to other countries at the time of the establishment
of thecommunistic regimeon themainland .
These are the people who had early indicated their preference to
live in exile and away from Communist domination . Therefore,
greater consideration should be given for these early refugees.
Out of these 27,000 refugees, about 25,000 are now residing in Hong
Kong . It is our belief thatthese people have had the opportunity of
assimilating some degree of Western culture and could more easily
adapt themselves to our way of living if they were to be admitted to
the United States. It is also most probable that many of them have
relatives in this country who are already established .
By the enactment of suitable legislation, these 27,000 refugees
could be granted a conditional admission to this country at a gradual
rate of, say, 5,000 or 6,000 per year for a period of 5 or 6 years in
duration .
Then at the end of the second year, after date of entry, and after
their ability to assimilate and become a useful member of the com
munity has been proven , permanent resident status may then be
granted to them .
In this way, there would not be a mass migration ofa great number
of people whose ability to live by our standards and to work with us
are still an unknown factor.
It would also be less of a burden upon the relatives who may wish
to do their part in giving assistance to these displaced persons.
 REFUGEE PROBLEM IN HONG KONG AND MACAO 149
The Chinese -American Citizens Alliance could serve as a clearing
house for sponsorship arrangements :
1. Our organization could assist in the collection of affidavits
of sponsorship ;
2. Could work out a format with the Immigration Service, as
to the most suitable form to use ;
3. The CACA could render the same assistance to these refu
gees that the church groups have done in the past. The churches
rendered assistance on the basis of religious affiliation. Our
group would be participating on the basis of ethnic
considerations.
It is our contentionthat pending the enactment of suitable legisla
tion for the relief of these refugees, ordinary deportation cases which
do not involve the securityof the country should be suspended .
The United States should make a strenuous representation to the
United Nations to have that organization participate in the handling
of the refugee problem .
The refugee problem should be a common problem of the free
world , and the United States should notbe made to assume it alone.
The Ú.N. Committee on Refugees should include the Hong Kong
refugees within itsscope.
Finally, the United States should not ignore or overlook the pos
sibility of utilizing some of the Pacific islands, now under U.N.
trusteeship, as possible places for resettlement of refugees.
Therefore, inconclusion, let me state that, as an organized group of
Chinese- Americans, we stand ready to do our part as American citi
zens to assist our country in meeting the present challenge and in
counteracting that whichcould very well be an indirect communistic
onslaught against the free world .
Theproblem is great, gentlemen, but it is believed that, with the
right spirit, the difficulties involved will not be insurmountable.
Again, I wish to thank the committee for your kind attention in
allowing me to come before you.
Senator HART. Mr. Hong, from everything we have heard , and
from the reputation that preceded the hearings with respect to the
Americans of Chinese descent, I think we are all convincedthat to the
extent new admissions of Chinese occur in the country, the Chinese
American community will respond. There is no doubt about that, I
think, in the minds of anybody.
Senator Fong. You make reference, Mr. Hong, to 5,000 cases in San
Francisco alone ?
Mr. Hong . These 5,000 cases I believe are throughout the country,
Senator Fong. Throughout the country. And they are now pend
ing in the consulate general in Hong Kong ?
Mr. Hong. That is correct.
Senator Fong. These are preference quotas ?
Mr. Hong. Yes.
Senator Fong. So, therefore, the sponsors of these petitions are rela
tives, living in the United States ?
Mr. Hong. That is right.
Senator Fong. And naturally they would be responsible, and they
have filed an affidavit of responsibility ?
150 REFUGEE PROBLEM IN HONG KONG AND MACAO

Mr. Hong. I think the only problem now is to get the affidavit of
sponsorship up to date.
Senator FONG. Yes.
What I am trying to find out is, these people are related , so therefore
they have somebody who will stand responsible for them
Mr. Hong. That is correct.
Senator Fong. Of the 27,000 applicants who are applying under
the refugee or under the quota status, someone has made application
for them ; is that correct ?
Mr. Hong. I believe they are similarly situated,Senator.
Senator Fong. In other words, someone in the United States has
alreadystatedthat he would be responsible for his well-being ?
Mr. Hong. I believe these are the cases where the aliens, if admitted,
do have places to go , and have families sponsor them .
Senator Fong. Thank you .
Senator HART. This concludes the witnesses scheduled to be heard
today .
We will adjourn to the call of the Chair.
I have indicated Mr. Waters of the Agency for International De
velopment will be included in our witnesses at the next hearing.
(Whereupon, at 4:45 p.m., the committee recessed, subject to the call
of the Chair.)
 REFUGEE PROBLEM IN HONG KONG AND MACAO

TUESDAY, JULY 10, 1962
U.S. SENATE ,
SUBCOMMITTEE ON REFUGEES AND ESCAPEES
OF THE COMMITTEE ON THE JUDICIARY ,
Washington, D.C.
The subcommittee met, pursuant to recess, at 11:15 p.m., in room
357, Old SenateeeOffice Building, Senator Philip A. Hart (chairman of
the subcommitt ) presiding:
Present: Senators Hart ( chairman of the subcommittee) and Fong.
Also present: Curtis E. Johnson, staff director; Dale S. De Haan,
research consultant; and Earl Nishimura, minority counsel .
Senator HART. The committee will be in order.
Today we resume our hearings on the Chinese refugee problem in
Hong Kong.
Our witness is Mr. Herbert J. Waters, Assistant Administrator for
Material Resources in the Agency for International Development,
AID. Mr. Waters returned recently from Hong Kong and Taiwan,
and will testify particularly regarding the distribution ofour surplus
agricultural commodities under Public Law 480. Originally, he was
>

scheduled to be .a witness about 2 weeks ago. Circumstances prevented
this. But Senator Fong and I are glad that he could appear at this
time andcontribute his expert knowledge to the record .
Mr. Waters is an old hand around here, and we are grateful to have
him back. And without consulting Senator Humphrey , I will say I
wish he were here on a more permanent basis. He brings to us, I
think, knowledge and experience that is most useful.
Mr. Waters.

STATEMENT OF HERBERT J. WATERS, ASSISTANT ADMINISTRATOR
FOR MATERIAL RESOURCES, AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL
DEVELOPMENT

Mr. WATERS. Thank you, Senator Hart and Senator Fong.
I appreciate the opportunity to meet with your committee to discuss
some of the aspects of the problem in Hong Kong, which has been
aggravated by the recent influx of refugees from Red China.
Let me explain at theoutset my relationship to refugee activities.
Most of the direct U.S. Government responsibility with regard to
refugee matters rest, of course, with the Office of Refugees and Migra
tion in the Department of State. The Agency for International De
velopment cooperates closely with our refugee programs, however,
primarily through providing food supplies underPublic Law 480, thé
food -for- peace program ,and paying shipping costs of other supplies
for accredited U.S.voluntary organizations.
151
152 REFUGEE PROBLEM IN HONG KONG AND MACAO

Included among my responsibilities in AID are operations of fooď
for peace, for which agricultural commodities are provided by the
Department of Agriculture, and coordination and supervision of vol
untary aid efforts.
When the Chinese refugee problem appeared to be growing more
acute later in May, I went to Îaiwan andHongKong for a personal
inspection tour to reappraise assistance that might be required .
In Taiwan, I held discussions with U.S. AID officials, officers of
the American Embassy, officials of the Government of the Republic
of China, and representatives of voluntary relief agencies. I visited
a number of the projects being carried on by the Chinese Govern
ment and by the private voluntary agencies.
In Hong Kong, I had the opportunity to meet with officials of the
American consulate, the Hong Kong Government, and the private
voluntary relief agencies. I was also able to visit a number of proj
ects providing assistance to refugees from the China mainland .
While I did not personally get to Macao, I sent a staff aid accom
panying me to that Portuguese colony to get another firsthand report
on the present situation there .
During my discussions with officials in both Taiwan and Hong
Kong, I was joined by Seymour Janow, AID's Assistant Admin
istrator for the Far East.
I have returned considerably heartened and reassured by what is
already being done - despite the tragic circumstances in which hun
dreds of thousands of fellow human beings are still compelled to live.
I was impressed with the outstanding job done, and the financial
support which the British authorities in Hong Kong have provided
over the past decade, inattempting to cope with the complex problem
of assimilating morethan 1 million refugees approximately one
third of the total population in HongKong.
At the same time, I could not help but be impressed with, and proud
of, what the U.S. Government andthe American people through their
voluntary agencies have been doing and are continuing to do in behalf
of the overall refugee problem , in providing many kinds of assistance
to supplement the effortsof the Hong Kong Government.
Underlying any consideration of what further external assistance
can be given most of these refugees is the basic fact that overall
determinations of this kind rest with the governing authorities in
Hong Kong. While I believe it is understandable and right that
new effortsare being made to explore immigration possibilities as
one means of relieving population pressures in Hong Kong, I am
forced to conclude that themajor efforts of assistance will need to be
concentrated in Hong Kong for some time to come.
Your committee has gathered considerable evidence on this general
subject.
From earlier witnesses you are aware that the U.S. Government, in
keeping with its traditional concern for the plight of refugees, has
dispensed in excess of $ 8 million since 1953 in an effort to improve the
lot of refugees in Hong Kong.
These programs of assistance have been carried forward in co
operationwith accredited U.S. voluntary agencies including projects
in the fields of housing, medical care, vocational training, nutrition,
resettlement abroad and similar projects.
 REFUGEE PROBLEM IN HONG KONG AND MACAO 153

In addition , substantial supplemental feeding programs have been
underway during the same period. These programs are made possi
ble by donations of U.S. agricultural commodities to the American
voluntary agencies under our food -for -peace program . Since 1953,
approximately $30 million worth of these commodities have been dis
tributed to refugees and other needy persons in Hong Kong. The
level ofdistribution ofthese foods during the current fiscal year is
41,844,000 pounds to 438,000 recipients. These food commodities in
cluded dry milk , flour, corn meal, Bulgur wheat, vegetable oils, beans,
and rice.
Concentration in these food distribution programs is now being
placed on school and child feeding programs- a very needy segment
of the population . This becomes more significant when it is under
stood that according to a March 1961 census 40 percent of the total
population of Hong Kong is under the age of 15 years..
Beyond the help which American voluntary agencies are giving with
U.S. Government support, these same agencies are now sending to
Hong Kong from their own private resources contributions in cash,
relief supplies and self-help items totaling roughly $3million per year.
These groups, with whom we in AID work so closely and on whose
skillful performance we rely to such a great extent, are certainly en
titled to be highly commended. I think, Mr. Chairman, it is appro
priate that the names of these agenciesbe placed in the record at this
point. They are: Aid Refugee Chinese Intellectuals, American
Friends Service Committee, CARE, Catholic Relief Services, Chris
tian Children's Fund, Church World Service, Foster Parents' Plan,
International Rescue Committee, International Social Service,
Lutheran World Relief, Mennonite Central Committee, YMCA .
Senator HART. Iam glad you did enumerate them specifically. We
have acknowledged for the record the significance of their contribu
tion. But to have this point come from you, in the light of the fact
that you saw the agencies' operations on the ground ,I think, adds
appropriate emphasis.
Mr. WATERS.Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
These agencies, representing the people of America, have been
quietly and efficiently carrying on direct aid in one form or another
to theneedy people of Hong Kong, refugee or native born. There can
no longer be any real distinction , for the influx over the years has cre
ated a totalsocial welfare problem in the crown colony.
In partnership with our Government, these voluntary agencies have
been impressively expressing the friendship and concern of the people
of the United States for the vast masses of Chinese who have aban
doned their homeland to escape Communist rule. Supplementing
their own personnel resources, money, clothing, and medicine, they
have effectively and efficiently utilized America's available agricul
tural abundance in a continuing demonstration of people -to -people
friendship that has made and is continuing to make a significant
impact.
Food statistics alone, no matter how impressive in size, cannot begin
to convey the impression one gets from personal observation.
In Hong Kong this morning, thousands of young children are
lining up at scores of distribution centers to receive a large cup of
milk and a couple of freshly baked biscuits. In thousands of small
154 REFUGEE PROBLEM IN HONG KONG AND MACAO

shacks and shanties and in the countless multistoried cement housing
blocks, thousands are sitting down to a meal of hot noodle soup or
Bulgar wheat congee. In the overcrowded tenement areas of Hong
Kong and Kowloon, thousands of eager handsarereaching for freshly
baked steamed bread, a favorite Chinese staple made from American
flour.
I have seen the looks of appreciation on faces filled with hope. As
I observed one distribution of food in Kowloon, I was surprised when
elderly women with children strapped to their backs nodded to me in
an expression of gratitude. Without possibly being able to know
who I was or why I was there, they somehow equated the foreign
American face with the source of the foods.
The sharing of our food abundance is providing amarked contrast
as to the success of American agriculture, compared to the growing
awareness among the Chinese of the failure of Communist China's
agricultural production.
Should the need arise for additional food , already existing pro
cedures are adequate to permit speedy processing of requests. Àt a
giventime, there is normally a 50- or 60-day supply of title III, Public
Law 480 food on hand in the warehouses of Hong Kong. This should
be more than sufficient to provide for emergency needs, should this
become necessary . Barring any interferences in normal shipping
there would be sufficient time toship additional foods to replenish that
borrowed from these stocks without any interference with ongoing
programs.
I want to emphasize that the Hong Kong Government is cooperat
ing fully with the food - for-peace programsby providing warehousing
and inland transportationcosts for these foods after they arrive. It
is gratifying, however, to be able to report that today no known need
for food amongst needy Chinese in Hong Kong is going unmet.
I should like to emphasize this point. In Hong Kong, we met in
dividually with representatives of each of the major American volun
tary relief agencies who have been carrying on relief work among
ar the
refugees. We asked them three questions:
( 1) Have you noticed any appreciable increase in your regular
caseload as a result of the recent new influx of refugees into Hong
Kong ?
( 2) Do you have sufficient resources on hand at the present time to
provide relief assistance to the new refugees who have entered Hong
Kong ?
( 3) If a situation should arise in the future in which additional
large numbers of refugees should enter Hong Kong, would your agency
be willing to cooperate in a large coordinated project toprovide as
sistance to them ?
In the case of each agency, the answers were the same. It was re
ported to us that the agencies had not noticed any appreciable differ
ence in their caseloads. This, they said, was due to the fact that the
refugees were remaining under cover, at the homes of relatives and
friends. The agencies reported that they expected the refugees to
emerge little by little over the next few weeks. This was already
beginning to happen over the weekend of June 9 and 10 when the
Hong Kong Government announced that refugees could come forward
to register without fear of prosecution or deportation .
 REFUGEE PROBLEM IN HONG KONG AND MACAO 155

The agencies reported that they had sufficient Public Law 480 title
III food on hand to feed any of these refugees in need. It was
pointed out that an extra 10,000 or 20,000 people, when added to the
more than 400,000 already on relief rolls, would mean only a small per
cent increase .
The voluntary agencies also pledged that they stood ready, if called
upon, to take part in any future large-scale refugee relief program
which might be required - alone, in cooperation with other voluntary
agencies, or in cooperation with the U.S.Government.
It is for these reasons that I am able to say with gratification that no
known need for food amongst the Hong Kong refugee population is
going unmet.
The same situation exists at Macao , as far as food is concerned.
We have also assured Taiwan of adequate food assistance for any
refugeesthey may be able to absorb, including commodities to beused
in food - for -wages work projects in which refugees could be quickly
given jobs.
Mr. Chairman, I want to add just briefly to that statement that no
known food need is going unmet . This is to the extent of the basic
food assistance supplementing what they can obtain on their own, and
it certainly does not mean that the dietis adequate, it is not based on
nutritional standards, but noknown food need is going unmet,
Perhaps the committee will be interested in some of my observa
tions regarding attitudes of the refugees, and why they are fleeing
their home areas.
Between the staff member accompanying me and myself, we inter
viewed, through interpreters, about 100 of these refugees, sometimes
individually, and sometimes in small groups.
They all gave the same reasons for leaving the mainland — insufi
cient food, fear of even worse shortages in the future, and resentment
at having to work long hours on farms when this was not their chosei
pursuit.
This last point - rebellion against compulsory labor — seems signifi
cant . These were all essentially “city people," from around Canton,
who had been ordered to work on farm communes by the Communist
regime, in the continuing attempt to overcome food shortages. Ap
parently, this forced relocation of workers is a major factor behind
many recent disturbances leading to increased attempts to flee from
the country.
I emphasize this because it has a direct bearing on any future re
settlement ideas. These people showed littleinterest in going any.
where other than Hong Kong. They have fled farm work, to get
back into city life with which they are familiar.
From my observations, there will be little voluntary desire to emi
grate further. While by our standards circumstances under which
most of them will now have to live in Hong Kong seem extremely un
fortunate, bytheirs it is fortunate compared with what they left be
hind them . They feel that food is available in Hong Kong and a
better chance to work and earn a living than they left behind . They
are not anxious to trade their new freedom for what they feel might
be an unknown fate somewhere else in the world.
156 REFUGEE PROBLEM IN HONG KONG AND MACAO

If the chairman or members of the committee so desire, I shall be
glad to respond to questions or to furnish additional information for
the record
I do have one further comment, Mr. Chairman . Since preparing 1
this statement for your committee, your staff and others may have
been informed that the State Department Office of Refugees has made
available $ 250,000 for use in assisting the technical schools in Hong
Kong with the objective of training many more people for skilled
work, particularly in the housing field . All of us who have been on
the scene and discussed this problem feel that this particular project
will have the dual benefit of upgrading the skills of many of these
refugees to enable them to obtain employment, and also, quite frankly,
meet the need for skilled labor required for the vast housing projects.
Senator HART. I am glad you added that point; because I was going
to ask of you what one thing, in addition, of course, to the food pro
gram that you are administering, would make the most sense forthis L


country to undertake in responseto this Hong Kong situation ?
Mr. WATERS. I feel our overall purpose must be to identify our
selves and our continuing friendship with the Chinese people. This
has been a historical fact . And Hong Kong is aa showcase place where
a

this can be done with effect.. In my observations, any projectthat
touches upon young people is most effective. I' think vocational
training is very significant, or increased medical care for children,
either in clinics or children's hospitals or things
of that kind.
I mentioned the population figures. These refugees have come in
over a period of time, and thereis a whole new generation growing
up , and any attention shown in the care of youngsters is deeply ap
preciated by the parents. Watching the children come to the milk
bars and watching the school feeding programs that are going on has
convinced me that we can best display our friendship and actually
contribute to the health of future generations by taking care of the
children .
Senator HART. Senator Fong.
Senator Fong . Mr. Waters, I have been to Hong Kong, and I have
seen the distribution of these milk supplies. And I have seen the
faces of these people who received them. I have also seen the distri
bution of the various noodles that were made from corn meal plus
wheat flour. And I think the administration is doing a very fine job
over there .
Is ityour testimony thatfrom 1953 to the present approximately
$ 60 million has gone into aid for the refugees from American sources,
Government and private ?
Mr. WATERS. Food and money .
Senator Fong. $30 million in food and $8 million in money , and
about $3 million from the various agencies each year ?
Mr. WATERS. Yes.
Senator Fong. And outside of the problem of food, you stated that
there is need for a medical program for the children ?
Mr. WATERS. Yes .
Senator Fong. And education for the youngsters ?
Mr. WATERS. That is right.
CE
Senator Fong. What are we doing along that line ?
 REFUGEE PROBLEM IN HONG KONG AND MACAO 157

Mr. WATERS. So far the voluntary agencies are themselves carrying
on, in connectionwith their food programs, a rather substantial distri
bution of medical supplies that have been contributed from this coun
try, and are trying toidentify and locate health cases that need to be
referred to the Hong Kong authorities. The basic direction of health
activities in the welfare field there is in the hands of the Hong Kong
Government, and it is getting to be a little more than they can cope
with .
Our voluntary agencies as well as other groups have indicated that
they do feel a need for additional help inhaving clinics or medical
supplies. I am meeting tomorrow on other subjects with the Amer
ican Council of Voluntary Agencies in New York, and I intend to
discuss with CARE representatives the role that Medico might play
in this area .
Senator Fong. Do you find the Hong Kong authorities cooperative !
Mr. WATERS. I find they were cooperative. They have a very
serious problem , we recognize, and they feel it is a question of the
allocation of the resources they have available. They are perfectly
willing to accept outside help, and are willing to have it identified as
coming from the donor. They have indicated that if we wanted to
help with a clinic or school they would be perfectly happy to designate
it by any name we chose, or have a plaque or something of that kind.
1 And this is true of any other country in the world thatwants to pro
vide some assistance there. They did feel that the assistance could
be more profitably put into permanent institutions of that type rather
than devoting funds solely to attempts to help with immigration.
Senator Fong. Now, relative to that thought, Hong Kong is pri
marily a textile producing territory, isn't it ?
* Mr. WATERS. That is right.
Senator Fong. And many of the refugees find work in textile mills
due to the fact that there have been a tremendous amount of exports
of textiles. What have you to say relative to our help along that line
in giving them a quota, for example, of the textiles that are produced
over there? There has been quite a lot of discussion as to the limita
tion of the various textilegoods that have been coming in from Hong
Kong and other parts of the world , and we have entered into an
agreement with many of the countries relative to the importation of
textiles.
Mr. WATERS. Senator, as you know , this is a worldwide problem ,
and I think it is a little out of my area of responsibility to speak with
any authority on it . It is under the direction of other areas in the
State Department, and I think the previous witnesses have touched
upon it . Although serious consideration is being given to waysthat
Hong Kong can be helped through encouragement of trade, † think
most consideration is looking in other directions than textiles.
The officials in Hong Kong did make a very strong point of this.
They felt anything the rest of the world coulddo to assist with ab
sorbing some of their production in the trade line would mean more
jobs for these people in Hong Kong. We have pledged them serious
consideration of this. Assistant Secretary Harriman has indicated
he concurs that we have to give special consideration to Hong Kong
from a trade standpoint as part of our effort to meet this problem .
875442 11
158 REFUGEE PROBLEM IN HONG KONG AND MACAO

Senator Fong. You state that most of the people that come to Hong
Kong are city people.
Mr. WATERS. Most are from city areas . A smaller number came