BLUE MINUTE
Mr. Wilkinson
988
Mr. James Murray
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Sir Denis Allen
Mr. Smith
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Flas An
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Deportation of Film Stars from Hong Kong
PROBLEM
The two film stars whom the Government of
Hong Kong tried to deport to China as a test
case returned to Hong Kong on 15 March having
apent 31 hours on the border bridge. The Chinese made serious protest" to the Charge d'
Same
Affaires in Peking on the following day against
the attempted deportation and demanded that the
two persons should be declared innocent and
set free. Sir D. Hopson in rejecting the
protest pointed out that the Hong Kong
Government saw their action as a means of making
progress and relieving tension and not raising
it as the Chinese had done by exploiting the
(Peknią Tel. No. 207).
incident The Governor of Hong Kong has proposed (Hong Kong telegram No.344) that we
should pursue this line with the Chinese
through various channels simultaneously in order
to emphasise that we consider such deportations
as a useful way of solving our mutual problems.
Sir Donald Hopson has advised (Peking telegram
No.223) that we should initially pursue this
through one informal channel only.
RECOMMENDATION
2. I recommend that we shoulā pursue the
Governor's proposal in the manner advised by
Sir D. Hopson. We should not, however,
include in our approach any reference to the
talks now going on in Hong Kong with the
/Now China