is resolved we in Whitehall might be tempted to move
on to attempt to secure the release of other British
subjects by a series of deals with the Chinese involving
the premature release in Hong Kong of a substantial
number of imprisoned communists. In point of fact,
the Chinese Government have as yet shown no disposition
We
These persons
to make a formal connexion between British subjecta
(other than Mr. Grey) and events in Hong Kong.
think that most if not all of the detained British
behaved in a manner which would inevitably lay them
open to suspicion in the circumstances of the Cultural
Revolution.. The Chinese have indeed told us that a
number have, unlike Mr. Grey, committed specific
offences which are under investigation.
may well therefore fall into the same category as those
of other nationalities detained in China on suspicion
of espionage or other offences. Nevertheless, the
Governor is perhaps going too far in suggesting that
their predicament is connected with Hong Kong events
only in the sense that they are regarded by the Chinese
as a useful lever against us. It can be argued and
has already been argued by their relatives that it
must be significant that the detention of all the British
subjects in question post-dated the conviction in the
Hong Kong courts of large numbers of communist offenders.
Moreover, on past form, it would seem a reasonable
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