CONTINGENCY plans are being drawn up to deal with the increasing number of Vietnamese illegal immigrants coming to the territory from China.
The Government was hoping to house the Vietnamese in the Kai Tak Transit Centre and Chi Ma Wan Detention Centre which have a total capacity of about 2,000.
But with the present rate of arrivals, which have already reached 1,452 this month, the two camps are likely to be filled soon, while signs of early repatriation are still remote.
A government source said he was not particularly encouraged by the Chinese Foreign Ministry statement saying the mainland was concerned about the influx and would take the Vietnamese back as soon as possible.
''We are confident that China will take them back eventually, but it is the timing that we are worrying about.'' What the Chinese authorities had agreed to was just the principle, and it could take a long time to implement, he said. ''Our wish is to have some of them sent back first so as to discourage further arrivals.'' It has been claimed that up to 10,000 Vietnamese in Beihai, where their homes were demolished by local officials, are preparing to set out for Hongkong.
The Government is juggling with limited accommodation facilities to house the new arrivals, although there is space for another 5,000 people in other detention centres.
Statistics provided by the Correctional Services Department show the total capacity of the six detention centres manned by the department is 34,824 and the population at the last count on July 17 was 29,346.