CONFIDENTIAL
Cypher/Cat.A
COM TOM MADER
FLASH
PEKING TO
FOREIGN OFFICE
"RECEIVED IN
ARCHIVES No. 63
32,
15 MAY 190/
Pelno. 480
15 May 1967
CONFIDENTI AL
HOP IN
Addressed to Foreign Office telegram No. 480 of 15 May. Repeated for information to Hong Kong, Singapore and Washington.
My immediately preceding telegrams.
We must conclude from the Chinese Government' statement that they have decided to risk a direct confrontation with us on Hong Kong. The fact that they took a relatively long time to reach this decision and then published it in the form of a statement instead of a diplomatic Note may indicate that this decision was reached with some reluctance.
2. On the other hand the Foreign Ministry official who was assisting the Vice-Minister at our interview, when I suggested that a deterioration of the situation in Hong Kong would be bad both for British and Chinese interests there, took me up passionately and declared that we were no longer dealing with the China of even five years ago.
Now that the cultural revolution was in full swing the new China would no longer bow to threats, It looks therefore as if the Chinese Government are "putting politics in command" and may have decided to accept any necessary economic damage.
3. The test will be in Hong Kong itself and in the way the Left Wing play it there. I should be surprised if a door is not left open for some kind of compromise, though it is difficult to see any sign of this at present.
4. I presume it will be your intention to issue an official statement in London and Hong Kong commenting on the Chinese statement. If so, though it will clearly be important to refute the Chinese charges, I hope it will be possible to phrase this in such a way as to avoid provoking the Chinese Government unnecessarily and thus making a compromise (if one is indeed still possible) even more difficult. As seen from here the object should be to bring the temperature down while standing firm on basic principles.
5
It is probable that we shall get some unpleasant demonstrations against this office. I have taken necessary precautions. We may be in for a very long haul.
6.
Record of my interview which contained no other points of real interest will be in a following telegram.
Foreign Office pass Flash to Hong Kong 336 and Priority to Washington 253.
Mr. Hopson
Sent
04202/15 May 1967
Recd.
05512/15 May 1967
[Repeated as requested]
FO/CO/WHENSOR HONG KONG AS COMMONWEALTH
F.E.D. TELEGRAM NO.913 CONFIDENTIAL
SSSSS
RIF
CET
PLANGE (SORIES) SENT.
REF.
ว7
LEXT
97