CF 6/3371/72 II
UP MATIAG
CONFIDENTIALN Sta
Mr Thompson o. r.
5211/4
“hinese Maboat fa long long waters on 23 March 1978
At the end of a meeting on other matters on 30 Harek with ar man of the Can the folitical adviser referred briefly to the parsage through liong Kông vaters on 23 March of a Chinese vessel, the HAI KUNG 7801. This vas an liuguai event
and had been picked up by the press. It was the sort of thing people got excit d about. because of the good relations between Hong Kong and China, he thought it worth mentioning the incident; it was best if any uncertainties could be avoided. The vessel vas of a class which the press usually described as a "gamboat”. There seemed to be military personnel on board it. e wondered if the Ivangtung authorities had commented.
2.
My fan said that he only knew what the papers had
the reported. fie could understand for Wilson's concern. The Political adviser then described the route which the vessel had taken: from near Castle Peak (where it had been seen by a Marine Police lamoch) it had gone round the north-east tip of Laatau, through the Cast Loans chansei, between Deaufort island and Cape D'agullar and then out of the square boundary beyond the Vinspin group. The passage had taken about two how s. guess vas that it had probably wished to nove quickly from „eep Bay to Mirs bay. it vas usual, and accepted, that Chinese boats should operate in the two Day» But it seemed that beats of the hoi xung class very saldon cane near the harbour area, occasion appeared to have been in 1963.) It would probably cause less misunderstanding if these vessels did not rove through this area. er van said he would report to the Kwangtung authorities and Find out if it reaily was an arsod vessel, did not mention auy question of territorial jurisdiction,
RE
1 APR 1978
INDEX
Copies to:
ISTRY
u Takan
Political dviser's ffice, Goverment Secretariat, 1 April, 1978.
27 Masefield = eq (
#q (AD) Po 11 Duantriliisq (kGD PODĄ
FC koj krepplewell : są (156īm))
ref. ong Kong talno. 375 of
Aarch.
CONFIDENTIAL
ろこ