THEPEOPLESREPUBLICOFCHINA

FACTSHEET
December2015

HIGHLIGHTS

Sep1982

19781979

July2013

Oct2013

Accededtothe1951
RefugeeConventionand
1967Protocol

Settled260,000Indochinese
refugeesinChina

ChinasnewExitEntryAdministration
Lawcameintoforce.

LetterofIntentsigned
withtheMinistryofCivil
Affairsregardingdisaster
reduction,preparedness
andemergencyresponse

19811982
Providedresettlement
opportunitiesfor2,500Lao
andsomeCambodian
refugeesfromcampsin
Thailand

Populationofconcern

2015FundraisingResults

UNHCRFACTSHEET

Bycountryoforigin(asof31December2015)
Country

TotalPoC

VietNam

300,895*

Somalia

182

Nigeria

86

Iraq

52

Liberia

45

Others

362

Total
Source:UNHCRBeijingOffice

301,622

*IndoChineserefugeesinMainlanddefactointegrated

pendingGovernmentregularization

UNHCRPresence
BeijingOfficeStaff:
3internationalstaff
6nationalstaff
5affiliatedstaff

HongKongOfficeStaff:
10Nationalstaff(3PSFR)
12UNOPSstaff(10PSFR)

Offices:
1OfficeinBeijing
1OfficeinHongKongSAR

UNHCRFactSheetThePeoplesRepublicofChina

WORKINGWITHPARTNERS
MainlandChina:theMinistryofForeignAffairs,theMinistryofCivilAffairs,andtheMinistryofPublicSecurity
HongKong
Government:SecurityBureau,ImmigrationDepartmentandSocialWelfareDepartment
Operationalpartners:ChristianAction(ChungKingMansions)andJusticeCentreHongKong

Macao
Governmentpartners:RefugeesCommission,OfficeoftheSecretaryforAdministrationandJusticeandSocialWelfare
Bureau
Operationalpartners:RefugeeWelfareAssociation,CaritasMacauandMacauChildDevelopmentAssociation

MAINACTIVITIES
Protection&Advocacy

TheExitEntryAdministrationLaw(withtheArticle46regardingrefugee/asylumseekersdocumentation)wasadoptedonJune
302012.ItcameintoforceonJuly1,2013.TheImplementingRegulationsoftheaboveExitEntryAdministrationLawcameinto
forceonSeptember1,2013.HowevertherearenoimplementingregulationsregardingtheaboveArticle46,andUNHCRis
lobbyingforitsadoption.

Lobbyingfortheadoptionofacomprehensivenationallawonasylum.

RegisteringandissuingUNHCRcertificatestopersonsofconcernonanindividualbasis.
ConductingindividualRSDunderUNHCRsmandate.

Enhancingprotectionforallpersonsofconcern

PursuingdurablesolutionsforrefugeesinmainlandChina(e.g.advocatingfortheregularizationoftheIndoChineserefugeesor
facilitatingresettlementtoathirdcountryforurbanrefugees).

DevelopingthecapacityoftheGovernmentofChinatoimplementitsobligationsunderthe1951GenevaConventionrelating
totheStatusofRefugeesandits1967Protocol.

Promotingextensionofthe1951RefugeeConventionand1967ProtocoltoHongKongSpecialAdministrationRegion(HKSAR).

Providingtrainingonspecifictechnicalelementsrelatedtotherefugeedefinitionanddeterminationprocessinsupporttothe
HKSARauthoritiestoensurethatcasesundertheUnifiedScreeningMechanism(USM)areproperlyadjudicatedinaccordance
withacceptedinternationalstandards.

UndertakinganassessmentofsubstantiatedclaimantsreferredfromHKSARauthoritiestoconfirmthattheyfallunderthe
refugeedefinition.

PursuingdurablesolutionsforrefugeesinHKSAR.

IncreasingpublicunderstandingandsupportbyGovernmentsandprivatedonorsforrefugeesworldwide.

Improvingthenationalprotectionregimesforbothrefugeesandstatelesspeopleintheregion.

Assistance
AstheGovernmentofChinadoesnotprovideassistancetorefugees,theUNHCRofficeinBeijinghasadirectassistance
programmethatcoversessentialneedsoftheentirerefugeepopulation(numberingapproximately200)andexceptionally
vulnerableasylumseekersinthesectorsoffood,shelter,health,education,andsocialservices..
HKSARSocialWelfareDepartment(SWD)providesmaterialsupporttoasylumseekersandrefugeesinHongKongthrougha
contractwithInternationalSocialServiceHongKong(ISS).Coreassistanceintheformofbasicfoodandshelteris
supplementedbycontributionsfromanumberofotherprivateindividualsandorganizations.

UnitedNationsHighCommissionerforRefugees(UNHCR)www.unhcr.org

UNHCRFactSheetThePeoplesRepublicofChina

PublicAwarenessBuilding
PrivateSectorFundRaising(PSFR)organizesextensiveactivitiestospreadawarenessamongtheChinesepublicatlargeabout
UNHCRswork.Currentactivitiesinclude:
Introducingrefugeeissuesinschoolsanduniversitiesandinvolvingstudentsineducationorfundraisingprojectsforthe
benefitofpersonsofconcerntoUNHCR.
OrganizingactivitiesaroundWorldRefugeeDay(June20)inBeijing,HongKong,andMacaowithafocusontheannual
RefugeeFilmFestivalandphotographyexhibition.
SettingupabootheveryJulyattheHongKongBookFair,thelargestinAsia.
Maintainingawebsitewww.unhcr.org.hk(inEnglishaswellassimplifiedandtraditionalChinese)asaplatformtoillustrate
UNHCRsworkandappealforsupport.ActiontakentoalsoestablishaChinaMainlandwebsite.
UNHCRBeijingOfficesupportedtheglobalcampaignofIkeaandUniqloinfavorofUNHCRalsoinmainlandChina
SocialMedia
UsingsocialmediatoraiseawarenessaboutUNHCRsworkamongtheChinesepublicatlarge.TheHKofficerecordedmore
than19,485followersonFacebookandBeijingOfficewithmorethan72302onWeiboasofDecember2015.
GoodwillAmbassador

APatronsince2010,Ms.YaoChenwasappointedGWAin2013.OneofChinasmostpopularactresses,aworldstopmicro
bloggerswithmorethan78,000,000followers,andlistedbyTimeMagazinein2014amongthe100mostinfluentialpeoplein
theworld,Ms.YaoChensupportsUNHCR,interalia,contributingtoincreasingawarenessontheplightofrefugeesand
UNHCRswork.SheisespeciallyinfluentialintheChinesespeakingworld.Ms.YaoChenhasalsoundertakenfieldmissionsto
thePhilippines,Thailand,Ethiopia,Lebanon.Morerecently,theGWAvisitedNansenRefugeeAwardwinner,AfghanRefugee
TeacherMs.AqeelaAsifiinPakistaninDecember2015interaliacontributingthroughherpostsinsocialmediatoraising
awarenessaboutrefugeeeducationproblems

Developingothersourcesofincome

Inadditiontothe800,000USDdonatedbythePRCsGovernmenttoUNHCRin2015,theMinistryofCommerceofChina
announcedon27November2015thatGovernmentofPRCwilladditionallydonate2MillionUSDtoUNHCR.

WhileindividualmonthlydonorscollectivelydonatemostofthefundsprivatelyraisedinChina,PSFRisgraduallyobtainingmore
supportfromthelocalcorporatesectors,commercialchambersandfoundations.Aportionofthecontributionsisgenerated
throughonlineactivities,mainlyUNHCRHongKongslocalwebsite..TheteamisalsoexploringthepotentialoftheLeadership
Givingprogram.
Contributionsfromvolunteersandsupporters
PSFRalsoreliesonateamofvolunteersandstudentswhocontributesignificantlytoUNHCRswork.
TheHongKongSARgovernmenthasprovidedtheofficespaceforUNHCRSubOfficeinHongKong.

Contactfordetails:
BeibeiLi,SeniorCommunication/PIAssistantEmail:libeibei@unhcr.orgTel:+861065320975
www.unhcr.org.hk

UnitedNationsHighCommissionerforRefugees(UNHCR)www.unhcr.org