Reference..
HKK 1/31
3 will C
Flag i Flag B
Flags C&D
Mr. Carter
Please see (1) and enclosures which have been sent to us for information.
2.
There is a very brief outline of the background to the "walled city" problem at (3) on 494/400/01 (1966/68 file); and there is a somewhat longer note behind (41) on the 1963/65 file in the same series. The latter note was in fact a brief prepared in 1963 for the Minister's use in Cabinet and sets out Chinese reactions to a resettlement scheme then prepared by the Hong Kong Government. Chinese reactions to that scheme were strong and they raised the whole question of jurisdiction over the walled city. The resettlement proposals were accordingly | dropped.
3. The big difference between those earlier re- settlement proposals and those now forwarded with (1) is that the latter do not envisage resettling or clearing any part of the walled city itself or the "sensitive area" on its eastern boundary. The present scheme seems to be sensible and would have the effect of hemming in the squalor of the walled city with modern buildings and facilities.
4. One respect in which the proposals in the paper behind (1) called for some comment is in relation to paragraph 5V of that paper. This relates to schools in the walled city, a number of which are undoubtedly Communist controlled. Clearly the Hong Kong authorities consider that there are grounds for intervening in the case of such schools because of the fire risk involved and they have it in mind to refer this question to the Schools Steering Committee (a small committee of officials recently set up by the Governor to keep an eye on Communist schools generally) in the context of proposals for closing such schools. This is, of course, an area in which the Communists are particularly sensitive and it might be worth enquiring from the Governor, when we see him here next month, as to how far he envisages action being taken against these schools in the walled city.
5. It did occur to me to wonder whether use might not be made of our "contact" in connection with action of this kind, but I notice the possibility of using a local intermediary was mentioned in 1963, only to be discarded; and no doubt the arguments for so doing on that occasion still hold good.
Wilson
Mr. Wilford
Ada
(A. W. Gaminara) 20 October, 1969
Mr. Maddocks has at (1) provided us with
information on plans of the Hong Kong Government :-
(a)
to develop areas adjacent to the south, west and north boundaries of the "walled city" (avoiding the "sensitive" area along the east boundary);
/ (b)