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WARNING SHOTS AT FOUR YOUTHS ATTEMPTING TO ESCAPE TO B.T. THEY WERE
CAUGHT BY THE PLA MEN CONCERNED WHO ASSAULTED THEM BEFORE REMOVING
THEM FROM THE BORDER AREA.
2. THE GENERALLY ORDERLY BEHAVIOUR OF DELEGATIONS AND THE FACT THAT
ALL, EXCEPT TWO, OBEYED POLICE INSTRUCTIONS TO DISPERSE INDICATES THAT THE COMMUNISTS STILL INTEND TO FOLLOW THEIR POLICY OF SEEKING TO
AVOID DIRECT CLASHES WITH THE POLICE. HOWEVER, THE TWO INCIDENTS
WHICH RESULTED IN ARRESTS (PARAGRAPH 1(B) ABOVE), EMPHASISE THE DANGER OF TROUBLE OCCURRING WHEN GROUPS OF COMMUNISTS BECOME EXCITED
AND LOSE THEIR DISCIPLINE. THE UNION PLANS FOR PICNICS IN THE NEW
TERRITORIES AND ON OUTLYING ISLANDS AND THE MEETING AT CHEUNG CHAU
ISLAND (PARAGRAPH 1(A) ABOVE) MAY SUGGEST THAT THE COMMUNISTS
CONSIDER THAT THEY ARE LESS LIKELY TO MEET WITH INTERFERENCE FROM
THE AUTHORITIES IN THE MORE REMOTE RURAL AREAS IN THEIR ATTEMPTS TO
PROPAGATE THE THOUGHTS OF MAO. IF SO, THIS COULD FORSHADOW AN
INCREASE OF COMMUNIST ACTIVITY IN THE NEW TERRITORIES.
3. THE CONTINUING PUBLICITY OVER ASSISTANCE GIVEN BY
COMMUNISTS IN CLEARING DEBRIS AT LANDSLIDE SITES AND ASSISTING
VICTIMS, INDICATE THAT THEY INTEND TO CONTINUE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF
THIS NATURAL DISASTER IN LINE WITH THEIR POLICY OF 'PEACEFUL UNITED
FRONT ACTIVITY' IT IS OF INTEREST THAT THE AMOUNT OF RICE NOW BEING
•
OUGHT BY THE F.T.U. AND C.G.C.C. FROM CHINA, ALTHOUGH NO FORMAL
REQUEST HAS YET BEEN MADE, COINCIDES WITH THE
FIGURE WHICH GOVERNMENT HAD EARLIER INDICATED IT WOULD BE PREPARED
TO PERMIT EX-QUOTA CSEE TELEGRAM 495). CLEARLY THE LOCAL COMMUNISTS
REALISE THAT ANY LARGER QUANTITY WOULD BE UNACCEPTABLE TO GOVERNMENT
EXCEPT ON THE TERMS ALREADY INDICATED TO THEM. IF APPROVED
THE 300 TONS, ALTHOUGH FOR A DIFFERENT
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/PURPO.3