CYPHER/CAT A
IMMEDIATE HONG KONG.
TELEGRAM NUMBER 436, CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
TO FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE.
DATED 24 JUNE 1970.
C
2
TOP COPY
RECEIVED IN
HE REPEATED FOR GĦTRY NO. 51
ADDRESSED TO FCO TELEGRAM NUMBER 436 OF 24 JUNE REPEATED FO
INFORMATION TO PEKING.
MY TELNO 485; KOWLOON WALLED CITY.
@
24 JUN 1970
HKKI/D
THESE TWO ANTIQUE CANNONS OF ABOUT 3 TONS AND 2 TONS WETGHT WERE
UNEARTHED SEVERAL DAYS AGO BY A PRIVATE CONTRACTOR WHO WAS CLEARING
A BUILDING SITE WITHIN THE WALLED CITY. THE LEFT WING KOWLOON
WALLED CITY KAIFONG ASSOCIATION, WHICH WE DO NOT OFFICIALLY RECOGN-
ISE, ATTEMPTED TO GAIN POSSESSION BY OFFERING PAYMENT TO THE
WORKERS ON THE SITE. HOWEVER OTHER PERSONS, INCLUDING THE RECOGNISED
KOWLOON CITY KAIFONG, SUGGESTED TO THE CITY DISTRICT OFFICER THAT
THE GUNS MIGHT APPROPRIATELY BE REMOVED TO A NEARBY PUBLIC PARK WHERE
THEY COULD BE MORE READILY ACCESSIBLE TO THE PUBLIC.
2. ON 23RD JUNE WE DECIDED TO ATTEMPT TO MOVE THE GUNS QUICKLY TO A
PLACE OF SAFE CUSTODY WHERE THEY COULD BE EXAMINED, BEFORE THE
ARGUMENTS ABOUT THEIR DISPOSAL BECAME MORE HEATED. BUT BEFORE THE
OPERATION COULD BE COMPLETED OBJECTION WAS RAISED AT THE SCENE BY
LOCAL LEFT-WING RESIDENTS. ADDITIONALLY THE WALLED CITY KAIFONG
TELEPHONED THE CITY DISTRICT OFFICER AND APPEALED TO THE NEW CHINA
NEWS AGENCY.
3. AT 7PM THE SAME EVENING TAM KON OF THE NCNA PHONED THE POLITICAL
ADVISER TO SAY HE HAD AN IMPORTANT MESSAGE. HE REFERRED TO NEWS-
PAPER REPORTS ABOUT THE GUNS CONTINUING: ''ACCORDING TO THE
STATEMENT MADE BY THE CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTRY TO THE BRITISH
GOVERNMENT ON JANUARY 17TH 1963, CHINESE GOVERNMENT SERIOUSLY POINTED
OUT THAT THE CITY OF KOWLOON IS CHINESE TERRITORY AND IS IN CHINA'S
JURISDICTION AND THAT THIS HAS ALL ALONG BEEN SO IN HISTORY." THE
HONG KONG GOVERNMENT'S ACTION, HE ADDED, WAS A
JURISDICTION OF CHINA, NO SPECIFIC DEMANDS WERE MADE.
"TRESPASS ON THE
CONFIDENTIAL
- THE