REF: GEN/13/1860
SECRET
Copy No. 16
of 26
Copies
Special Branch,
Police Headquarters,
Hong Kong.
23rd August, 1968.
A comparative study of concessions made by the Chinese Communists and the British and Hong Kong Governments
related to the communist confrontation in the Colony
INTRODUCTION
This paper studies the concessions which have been made since the onset of the Chinese communist confrontation with the Hong Kong Government in May, 1967. (Governor's Committee Meeting Minute No. 395/68 refers). For the purpose of this study and to present a realistic picture of the policies and attitudes of both sides it has been necessary to accept a fairly wide interpretation of what is meant by the term "'concession". In communist eyes to conform with an established law or principle of conduct can be a concession. By the same token the great restraint shown in enforcing that law must also be held to be a concession
by Government.
2.
It has been found useful to attempt to categorise concessions, as set out in Annexures 'A' to 'D' to this paper. Firstly there are those which have been made on a reciprocal basis and have stemmed from negotiations or at least from an intimated prior agreement; these are limited to two instances, the Border talks of November last year and the special visits to prisons in Hong Kong, resulting in access to Grey in Peking (Annexure 'A'). Secondly those concessions made by the C.P.G. and H.M.G. concerning visas and restrictions on movement of Mission staff which, although not directly affecting Hong Kong, must be considered in the context of this paper as the C.P.G. authorities clearly intimated
SECRET
/that
: