CONFIDENTIAL
369
TOP COPY
(362)
Cypher/Cat A
IMMEDIATE HONG KONG TO COMMONWEALTH OFFICE
Telegram No. 338
CONFIDENTIAL
16 March, 1968
ни
Addressed to Commonwealth Office telegram No. 33 of
16 March,
Repeated for information to Peking.
My telegram No. 323: Film Stars,
The two film stars left the bridge at Lowu yesterday at 3.05 p.m. having waited some 31 hours. They returned of their own free will and boarded a Kowloon train at Lowu accompanied by China Travel Service representatives.
They were removed from the train at Sheung Shui and placed in custody. They did not resist arrest and seemed quite happy to be back. In fact the girl had even taken the opportunity while on the train to remove all the Mao badges which had been presented to her by the Chinese border guards.
2.
As they left the bridge the following broadcast was made from China :
"These two people have done nothing wrong and it is absolutely unreasonable of the British authorities to attempt to expel them to China. They now wish to return to their own residence and the British authorities will be fully responsi- ble for all the serious consequences if anything is done to present them".
Foreign Office pass Immediate Peking No. 113,
Sir D. Trench
[Repeated as requested]
DEPARTMENTAL DISTRIBUTION
C.O. H.K.D.
News Depti
I. & GDS
F.O. F.E.D.
J. I.R. D. J. I. P.GD
88998
O.L.A. O.P.A. News Dept
DIS M.O.D.
962
264
CONFIDENTIAL
ADVANCE COPIES SENT
RECEIVED IN ARES No. 63 18 MAR1908
Hiß 3/2