En Clair
IMMEDIATE PEKING TO FOREIGN OFFICE
no 130
9 October, 1967
159
UNCLASSIFIED
Addressed to Foreign Office telegram No. 130 of 9 October. Repeated for information to:
Hong Kong POLAD Singapore.
Washington
I was summoned to the Chinese Foreign Ministry at 7 p.m. today to see Mr. Hsueh, Deputy Director of Western Europe. He read me a
Note in which the Foreign Ministry requested the British Office to pass a message to the British Government about the recent events in
Hong Kong (summary in my immediately following telegram)
2. The Note protested firstly about the incident on 1 October when one Chinese was killed and many arrests made in connexion with a firework display from a Chinese ship: secondly about British troops destroying Chinese flags on 2 October: and, thirdly, about raids on Trade Union Headquarters previous to the National Day. It then restated various Chinese demands made since 15 May.
3. I rebutted the various charges in the Note, emphasising that the ban on fireworks by the Hong Kong Government had been made necessary by the activities of criminal elements using explosives which had resulted in the deaths of several people in Hong Kong, including children. I also pointed out that the search of Trade Union Headquarters. had resulted in the capture of large quantities of explosives which showed that the searches had been amply justified. I said I knew nothing about the incidents which [sic] the Chinese flag, but wondered if Mr. Hsueh had forgotten what had been done, not only to the British flag, but to the British office and members of its staff on 22 August. I reiterated Her Majesty's Government's wish to normalise relations with China and referred to your letter to Chen Yi to which you had so far had no reply. The responsibility for this difficult situation rested entirely with those who had instigated criminal elements in Hong Kong to carry out a campaign of violence. I rejected the protest and refused to accept the Note because of its grossly undiplomatic language. 4. Nothing further of interest emerged from the subsequent sterile discussion. The Chinese message will no doubt be published by the NCNA.
Mr. Hopson.
F.O./C.O./WH DISTRIBUTION
P.E.D.
"
Sent 0100Z 10 October Reca 0800Z 10 October
ADVANCE COPIES SENT.
uuuuu
!