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Political Adviser
Early this afternoon, K.C. Jay telephoned to say that he was anxious to see me as soon as possible. Because of other commitments, I suggested 4.30 p.m. but Jay asked me to make it before that if possible In the event, I saw him at about 4 p.m.
2.
He apologised most profusely for asking to see me so urgently but said that arrangements had been made for him to see LI Choh Chi to-morrow (September 25th) morning at 9.30 a.m. at Jay's home. Jay said that he had suggested a rather earlier meeting but that LI had indicated that this was the earliest he could make it.
3.
Jay then began a rather meaningless commentary on a visit he had just received from Hammond, the Solicitor, and Eric Ho Tung concerning the possibility of Ho Tung becoming an exchange broker! Jay had indicated, apparently, that this was unlikely to be agreed. And various other etceteras. In the midst of a discourse on how Lawrence Kadoorie had at one time tried to get Solly Saul accepted as an exchange broker he suddenly reverted to the question of LI's visit. He underlined the fact that it was clearly important as LI would be visiting him on his own.
This, "as we all know", is most unusual for a Communist and indicated that LI was working on specific instructions from a senior person in Peking. From what LIĨ had said, the meeting was to be about Anthony Grey. Here Jay said to me "perhaps you can have some pictures taken of his ugly mug" and later, on two or three occasions during our long, complicated discussion he made similar comments, afterwards suggesting that he hoped S.B. would be alerted to look out for LI who could, Jay warned, arrive earlier than the agreed time of 9.30 a.m.
(Comment: I was able to be absolutely noncommittal as Jay was in full flood: I was glad of this in case he was sounding me out on the old question of "S.B. surveillance" which he later specifically mentioned).
4.
I expressed surprise that Peking might have reacted so promptly. Jay assured me that Peking could, and did, react very quickly on such matters and said that important messages would usually be sent by courier to Shum Chun, thence to Canton and then by air to Peking. A reply by telephone could thus easily be given in two to three days. I said that, even so, the reaction would have been very quick indeed as we had only met at midday on Saturday I then asked when LI had actually asked for the appointment on the 25th. Jay said that LI had mentioned it to him yesterday (Monday) but had only given him a firm time this morning (Tuesday). On reflection Jay agreed that the time-scale seemed very short () and said that possibly it was in response to a message which LI might have sent last Wednesday after his discussion with Jay, or even in response to Jay's message to Small LEUNG last Tuesday or Wednesday. I picked him up at this point, and said that it was my understanding, from our discussion of last Saturday, that Jay had not yet sent the communication previously agreed. Momentarily he was thrown, but suggested that perhaps he had inadvertantly misled me in the discussion on Saturday as he had, in fact, sent a communication "in very
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/contd.