310
En Clair
PRIORITY
PEKING TO FOREIGN OFFICE
Telno, 881 12 July, 1967
UNCLASSIFIED
Addressed to Foreign Office telegram No. 881 of 12 July. Repeated for information to: Hong Kong
30 My telegram No. 874.
(908)
Following is text of Protest as published in People's Daily and NCNA of 12 July.
2. Hsueh Ping, correspondent of the Hong Kong branch of the Hsinhua News Agency was on a normal reporting assignment in the vicinity of Wanchai Road, Hong Kong at 0140 hours today when he was unreasonably arrested by armed police of the British Hong Kong authorities. Although Hsueh Ping produced his reporters credentials the British Hong Kong police dragged him off in a car and drove to the Eastern District Police Station and detained him there. Leaders of the Uhsinhua Hong Kong branch later repeatedly took up the matter with the British Hong Kong authorities.
At 0600 hours Liang Wei-lin, Director of the Hsinhua Hong Kong branch lodged a most urgent and strong protest with the officer administra- ting the Government, Michael Gass, and raised three demands but the British Hong Kong authorities continued to detain Hsueh Ping without any reason.
We fully support the solemn demands raised by Liang Wei-lin.
This is not the first time that the British Hong Kong authorities have brazenly provoked and persecuted personnel of the Hsinhua Hong Kong branch. On June 25 Wang Lei, Deputy Editor-in-Chief, and Chen Kuo-jung and Chen Ming-chu, correspondents of the Hsinhua Hong Kong branch, encountered groundless obstruction and were forced to submit to an insulting search by armed police of the British Hong Kong authorities.
The British Hong Kong authorities have repeatedly and unreason- ably interfered with the normal activities of the personnel of the Chinese official news agency, threatened their safety and unwarrant- edly arrested one of them. This is another serious political pro- vocation against the Chinese people conducted by, the British Govern- ment and the British authorities in Hong Kang.
The Chinese Government hereby lodges a strongest Protest.
The British Government must enjoin the British Hong Kong authorities immediately to release the arrested; publicly apologize to him and ensure freedom of activity and safety for personnel of the Hainhua Hong Kong branch and ensure that there be no recurrence of similar incidents, otherwise, you shall be held responsible for all the grave consequences arising therefrom.
Mr. Hopson
0910Z 12 July Recd. 1242Z 12 July
RECTED IN Bent ARCHIES No. 63
210L.70/
FO/CO/WH DISTRIBUTION
F.E.D.
HWA 'In
LAST
дов
вто