Flood of Vietnamese Refugees Continues to Strain Hong Kong
Another 234 Vietnamese boat people sailed into Hong Kong on Friday aboard six boats, bringing to more than 5,600 the number arriving in this British colony this year, officials said.
More than 1,400 Vietnamese arrived this month, forcing the government to set up tents at a detention center because of a lack of accommodations, the officials said.
Hong Kong Secretary for Security Geoffrey Barnes said he believes Hanoi is allowing the exodus to achieve “benefits” at the international conference on Indochinese refugees in Geneva next month.
Barnes said he expects 11,000 Vietnamese boat people to arrive in the colony in the coming months.
There are more than 30,000 Vietnamese boat people in Hong Kong.
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