Hong Kong govt offers permanent residency to 1,400 refugees from Vietnam HONG KONG - The Hong Kong government will offers permanent residency to more than 1,400 Vietnamese refugees and migrants as it becomes impossible to resettle them overseas. ``The only effective and durable solution to the remaining problems lies in complete integration.'' Regina Ip, secretary for security said in a statement. Since its return to Chinese rule on July 1, 1997, Hong Kong scrapped its policy of being a port of first asylum for refugees, and new Vietnamese arrivals slowed to a trickle. The government will close the city's only remaining Vietnamese refugees center in May, a move that will save the government HK$20 million ($2.57 million) per year. By Jonathan Tam - Bloomberg - February 23, 2000.