CONFIDENTIAL
6. Mr. Shen P'ing said that the present situation in Hong Kong was regarded by the Chinese as quite unsatisfactory. Quite recently the British authorities had unwarrantedly arrested and persecuted a large number of Chinese compatriots there and these had still not been released. The British- authorities had also refused to admit 5,000 tons of rice and 1,000 suits of clothing provided from Kwangtung Province. The British side must be held responsible for all these actions.
7. As regards Mr. Grey, Mr. Shen P'ing wished to point out once again that his problem was part of the Hong Kong problem. Mr. Grey was now receiving very lenient treatment especially in comparison with the "patriotic journalists" and "patriotic countrymen" in Hong Kong. To say that treatment of Mr. Grey was "barbaric" was without foundation and a slander. The Chinese prisoners in Hong Kong were suffering hardship, maltreatment and cruelty much worse than that meted out to Grey. It was the Chinese side who had the right to complain. The Chinese people and opinion in China were completely "outrageous" (sic) about treatment meted out in Hong Kong,
8. As regards Mr. Shen P'ing's own behaviour, he acted on instructions and it was quite unjustified to say that he lacked courtesy.
9. Mr. Rodgers said we had made it clear that we wanted to see an improvement in relations in all respects. We had made it clear that we understood the issues to which the Chinese attach importance. Mr. Shen P'ing had described the issues raised on this occasion as a "minor part" of Sino-British relations. Mr. Rodgers did not believe that the holding of members of the British Mission in Peking or of British subjects was a minor matter. It was a matter to which Her Majesty's Government attached the deepest importance. If it was minor, why did the Chinese not provide the information requested and deal with the issues now?
Mr. Shen P'ing's response cast very grave doubt on the wish and willingness of the Chinese Government to solve the larger matters which they believed to be related to Sino- British relations. It was very unsatisfactory that representations about the men and woman detained in China were met by the phrase that their cases "were being examined". Mr. Rodgers found it shocking that in view of the long Chinese tradition of courtesy he could not get a reply on this one question. He felt it was a sad commentary on the ineffectiveness of the Chinese Government that they were unable to make even a gesture in this respect.
CONFIDENTIAL
/10.