RESTRICTED
F.O. AND C.0. TELEGRAM GUIDANCE NO. 154.
6.
-3-
ON 13 JUNE THE CHINESE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS ISSUED A SECOND STATEMENT ON THE HONG KONG SITUATION. THIS STATEMENT, WHICH
AP ARS TO BE IN RESPONSE TO REPORTS THAT TWO CHINESE HAD BEEN KILLED (SEE PARAGRAPH 4 ABOVE), LODGED QUOTE THE STRONGEST AND MOST EMPHATIC
PROTEST WITH THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT UNQUOTE. THE LANGUAGE USED WAS
EXTREMELY VIOLENT AND INCLUDED THE THREAT (USED REPEATEDLY OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS IN REFERENCE TO VIET NAM) THAT THE CHINESE COULD
NOT QUOTE STAND IDLY BY UNQUOTE. DESPITE THIS, HOWEVER, THE STATE- MENT APPEARS TO REPRESENT A FURTHER STAGE IN THE PROPAGANDA OFFEN-
SIVE AGAINST THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT RATHER THAN A DECISION BY THE
CHINESE GOVERNMENT TO TAKE MORE DIRECT ACTION. THE ONLY ACTION TAKEN
SINCE THEN WAS THE GIFT OF TEN MILLION HONG KONG DOLLARS BY THE
CHINESE TRADE UNION FEDERATION TO THE HONG KONG STRUGGLE COMMITTEE INTENDED TO IMPROVE THEIR ABILITY TO CONTINUE A PROGRAMME OF INDUST- RIAL STOPPAGES AND HARASSMENT.
PROSPECTS IN HONG KONG.
7. THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT RETAINS CONTROL OF THE SITUATION. IF
PEKING AND LOCAL COMMUNIST LEADERS HAVE INDEED DECIDED ON A LONG
TERM AND FAIRLY LOW LEVEL CONFRONTATION IT SHOULD BE POSSIBLE TO
MAINTAIN THIS CONTROL WITHOUT TOO MUCH DIFFICULTY. THE DANGER IS THAT LOCAL EXTREMISTS MAY UNDERTAKE MORE VIOLENT ACTION, WHICH IN PRESENT CIRCUMSTANCES IN CHINA WOULD ALMOST CERTAINLY BE BACKED BY PEKING. THE RESULTANT SPIRAL COULD THEN WELL COMMIT PEKING TO MORE
POSITIVE ACTION THAN THEY SEEM TO INTEND AT THE MOMENT.
8. ALL THE ABOVE MAY BE USED FREELY WITH RELIABLE CONTACTS WITH THE
EXCEPTION OF PARAGRAPH 7 ABOVE, WHICH IS FOR YOUR OWN INFORMATION.
SOSFA/CROSEC
SENT 1720Z 21 JUNE.
BY TELEGRAPH:
BANGKOK
PHNOM PENH
TOKYO
DJAKARTA
RANGOON
POLAD HONG KONG
SAIGON (PASS HANOI)
MANILA
SEOUL
VIENTIANE TAMSUI NEW DELHI
PEKING
POLAD SINGAPORE
[ALL PRIORITY]
FO/CO/WH. DISTRIBUTION
J.I.P.G.D.
44444
RESTRICTED
RAWALPINDI
COLOMBO
KUALA LUMPUR
SINGAPORE