CONFIDENTIAL
WASHINGTON TELEGRAM NO.1992 TO FOREIGN OFFICE
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20
CALL TO QUOTE SMASH UNQUOTE BRITISH RULE.
HOWEVER, PEKING
HAS REITERATED THE LONG TERM NATURE OF THE SINO-BRITISH
CONFRONTATION OVER HONG KONG AND HAS SAID THAT THE DAY FOR THE BRITISH TO REPAY THEIR QUOTE BLOOD DEBTS UNQUOTE WILL QUOTE
EVENTUALLY COME UNQUOTE AND THAT THE BRITISH WILL BE QUOTE SMASHED ONE DAY UNQUOTE.
SUCH STATEMENTS DO NOT CHANGE PEKING'S PREVIOUS POSITION THAT
HONG KONG WILL REVERT TO CHINA AT THE QUOTE APPROPRIATE TIME UNQUOTE, BUT THEY EMPHASIZE THAT PEKING INTENDS TO TAKE A MORE ACTIVE INTEREST IN AFFAIRS IN HONG KONG, PEKING'S SIGNIFICANT FOREIGN EXCHANGE EARNINGS FROM AND THROUGH THE COLONY WILL, HOWEVER, PROBABLY CONTINUE TO BE AN IMPORTANT FACTOR IN PEKING'S ASSESSMENT OF WHAT ACTIONS IT WILL TAKE CONCERNING
HONG KONG. ENDS.
F.O. PASS HONG KONG 79 AND PEKING 24.
SIR P. DEAN
[REPEATED AS REQUESTED].
DEPARTMENTAL DISTRIBUTION:
FO:
F.E.D.
D. D. & P. U. S. D. J.I.R.D.
CO: D.T.D.
F. E. & P.D.
SENT AT 2156Z 10 JUNE 1967
RECD AT 2151Z 10 JUNE 1967
CONFIDENTIAL
SENT TO HONG KONG AS COMMONWEALTH OFFICE (D.T.D.)
TELEGRAM NO.
1180