Speech #870200611

The resolution will be received and appropriately referred. The resolution (S. Res. 346) was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations. as follows: Whereas within the past several weeks scores of thousands of Chinese refugees from Communist China have been pouring into Hong Kong by land and by sea. and Whereas the British Administration in Hong Kong. which has already granted asylum to 1.500.000 refugees from Red China. and which has heretofore pursued a generous and humane refugee policy. is now turning back large numbers of refugees because it finds it physically impossible to receive. accommodate. and arrange resettlement for the 5.000 refugees who are daily seeking asylum in Hong Kong. and Whereas this mass outpouring of refugees constitutes another dramatic demonstration of the bankruptcy of the Chinese Communist regime. and Whereas the problem of refugees from communism should ideally be treated as the collective responsibility of the free world. and Whereas human. moral. and political considerations all demand that the free world apply the most liberal and generous criteria in granting asylum to all those who seek sanctuary from Communist terror and oppression: Therefore be it Resolved. That it is the the sense of the Senate(1) That the administration. in consultation with the British authorities. should convene a conference of nations interested in the Chinese refugee problem. based on the concept that this problem should be treated as a collective responsibility of the free world. (2) That the President use the powers conferred upon him by Public Law 86648 to parole into this country 5.000 Chinese refugees in Hong Kong. giving preference to family reunion cases. to those who have already applied for admission to the United States. and to professionals. specialists. and skilled workers who can make a significant contribution to American society. (3) That the question of resettling Chinese refugees in other countries of the free world be raised at the conference proposed in paragraph 1. (4) That. in addition. the American delegation be instructed to raise the question at the forthcoming meeting of the OAS in the hope that each of the member States will agree to accept a small but significant quota of Chinese refugees. (5) That to help the British in Hong Kong cope with the immediate pressure of this vast new refugee influx. the President should immediately make available to the British authorities in Hong Kong whatever quantity of American surplus food these authorities may consider necessary. (6) That. in line with the onethird formula that has become customary in the financing of United Nations and international refugee projects. the United States should assume responsibility for onethird of the cost of the Chinese refugee program in Hong Kong. employing for this purpose the funds that have already been made available for appropriation. on a discretionary basis. under the terms of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961. as amended. (7) That at the conference referred to in paragraph 1. the American delegation be instructed to explore the possibility of arranging for the resettlement of a portion of the Hong Kong refugees In some of the unpopulated islands of the Pacific Ocean. leasing these islands. if possible. on a longterm basis. to the Nationalist Chinese Government. so that the refugees resettled will retain Chinese nationality. (8) That. following the precedent established at the time of the Hungarian refugee crisis. the administration should make available American military transports for the purpose of resettling refugees from Communist China in Taipei or in the Americas or on unpopulated Pacific islands. (9) That. to support the mass resettlement program in Taiwan which the Chinese Nationalist Government has now proposed. the administration should substantially increase its surplus food program in Taiwan and should offer to meet half the cost of resettlement and rehabilitation. up to a maximum of $50 million. this money also to be taken from the funds that have already been made available for appropriation. on a discretionary basis. under the terms of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961. as amended. (10) That for the Implementation of this entire program. the administration should use. and if necessary expand. the existing facilities of the Far Eastern refugee program of the Department of State. in cooperation with the American voluntary agencies.