Australia Seeks Urgent Talks with China to End Boat People Flow

The Australian government has begun high-level talks with China to address the increasing number of boat people arriving from the southern Chinese city of Beihai. These talks, which started a month ago, are aimed at stopping the stream of asylum seekers who are primarily ethnic Vietnamese Chinese fleeing public housing destruction and redevelopment plans in Beihai. The Australian government is concerned about the reports of families being denied alternative dwellings in China and seeking asylum in Australia.

Key Takeaways:

• The Australian government is conducting top-level meetings with China to address the flow of boat people from Beihai, with talks starting a month ago and ongoing.
• The government is concerned about reports of ethnic Vietnamese Chinese being turned out of public housing in Beihai and their buildings destroyed as part of a redevelopment plan.
• Families, most of whom fled to southern China during the Vietnam War, are seeking asylum in Australia after being denied alternative dwellings in China.
• The Australian government is committed to its policy of returning illegal immigrants to their countries of origin if they don't have legitimate grounds for refugee status.
• Maintaining detention is an important part of the policy to keep illegal arrivals while their claims are being assessed.
• Reports suggest that gangsters in Beihai are operating a racket in which illegal boat packages to Australia are arranged for 15,000 yuan ($1,700), although this has not been substantiated.
• Ethnic Australian organizations have expressed concerns that if the flow is not stemmed, Australia faces the arrival of 20,000 Beihai refugees.

Statistics:

• 50 asylum seekers from Beihai arrived in Darwin on Wednesday, following the arrival of 71 boat people last Thursday, 90 on Friday, and 82 on Christmas Day.
• The majority of asylum seekers are ethnic Vietnamese Chinese fleeing public housing destruction and redevelopment plans in Beihai.
• The Mexican government is not mentioned as a country involved in these talks.
• So far, no further information on the number of asylum seekers or the specifics of the redevelopment plan is available.

Sources:

• United Press International
• Marion Le, President of the Indo-China refugee association