CONFIDENTIAL
206
布政司署
香港下亞畢道
** OUR REF.: SCR L/M 108/78 本署檔號
來函檔號 YOUR REF.:
GOVERNMENT SECRETARIAT
LOWER ALBERT ROAD
HONG KONG
24 November, 1978
The
arguments
S are
good ones
and
1
am
Sive
Mr Wilson
who gul to
agre
the use of cypher on
6W 28/11
2
Mi Quguɣnú Mr Thompson
RJ McLaren Esq
Hong Kong & General Department F C/O
Year
區
NONA COMMUNICATIONS WITH CHINA
The
Nena telex link
ce Mr Murray
obs
28/11
(9 an surprised the "Hong Kong Government were in a position to say whether or not any telex subscriber - Horghong
could sent
messager i
de/cypho) R.
I mentioned at the end of my letter of 1 August (SCR 1/4731/49) that the NCNA had spoken informally to me about their difficulties in communicating with China and had tied this to some plaintive remarks about being only "a news agency". Li Chu-sheng, the Second Director, said that they had earlier been told that they could not use wireless communication with China. This would be in line with our normal policy which is not to allow the use of private wireless transmitters by anybody, including US consulates. (The (UK Consulate-General is an exception but that decision is shrouded in the mists of history.)
2.
When I suggested to the NCNA that they should use cypher on their telex, they said that this too had been rejected. In fact we have no record of any such approach being made.
3.
We have now looked into the matter thoroughly with all those concerned and have come to the conclusion that there is no reason to prevent the Chinese using cypher or code on their telex. We do not, however, wish to allow them to use wireless, since this would lay us open to applications from a number of consulates and also suggest that we were giving the NCNA quite unique treatment.
4.
I have now told the NCNA that we have no objection to them operating a cypher telex link. At present they only have a direct telex link to Peking, but they will now consider establishing a link direct to Canton. I have told them that they can expect all the help necessary from Cable & Wireless.
HRK 026
RECEIVED IN ARGENTY KO. $1
29 NOV1978
DESK O.. INDEX
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PA
on 1.4 en
CLE CONFIDENTIAL
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