AKK ozoli
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY NO. 51 0 8 MAY 1980
DESK OFFICER INDEX
PA
CONFSTENITAL
83.1
REGISTRY Action Take
TOP COPY
(16)
GR 500
CONFIDENTIAL
FM PEKING 070300Z
TO ROUTINE HONG KONG
TELNO 53 OF 7 MAY 1980
INFO FCO, MODUK AND HONG KONG GOVT OFFICE LONDON.
OUR TELNO 20 OF 6 MARCH: INCIDENT IN DEEP BAY
1. FIRST SECRETARY WAS SUMMONED TO MFA ON 5 MAY TO RECEIVE OFFICIAL REPLY TO OUR APPROACH ON 5 MARCH REPORTED IN TUR.
2. ZHENG YAOWEN SAID THAT THE LOCAL AUTHORITIES HAD RECENTLY COMPLETED AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE INCIDENT. THEY HAD CONCLUDED THAT THE MAIN CAUSE OF THE COLLISION WAS THE LACK OF CONTACT AND COOPERATION BETWEEN THE TWO SIDES, FOR WHICH BOTH SIDES SHARED RESPONSIBILITY. AFTER THE INCIDENT BOTH SIDES HAD ALSO MADE ERRORS IN HANDLING THE MATTER. WE HAD EXPRESSED CONCERN IN PARTICULAR ABOUT THE BOARDING OF THE HOVERCRAFT BY AN ARMED PARTY AND THE UNCOVERING OF GUNS ON A CHINESE BORDER SECURITY VESSEL. IT WAS TRUE THAT THERE WAS NO PLACE FOR SUCH APPARENTLY HOSTILE ACTS IN RELATIONS BETWEEN FRIENDLY COUNTRIES. BUT THE HONG KONG SIDE SHOULD UNDERSTAND THE ACTUAL SITUATION AND THE FEELINGS OF THE PEOPLE INVOLVED. THE BOARDING PARTY WAS INTENDED TO PREVENT THE HOVERCRAFT LEAVING THE SCENE OF THE INCIDENT BEFORE STATEMENTS HAD BEEN EXCHANGED: THE CHINESE SIDE UNDERSTOOD THAT THIS WAS THE ORIGINAL INTENTION, BECAUSE OF THE DAMAGE SUFFERED BY THE HOVERCRAFT. THEY WERE ALSO MINDFUL OF THE EARLIER INCIDENT INVOLVING THE DEATH INVOLVING THE DEATH OF A CHINESE PATROLMAN, WHEN THE HONG KONG VESSEL HAD LEFT THE SCENE.
3. THE CHINESE SEAMEN HAD SUBSEQUENTLY BEEN FRIGHTENED BY THE APPROACH OF SEVERAL HONG KONG POLICE LAUNCHES AND A RN GUNBOAT WITH GUNS POINTED IN THEIR DIRECTION, AND THE PRESENCE OF A HELICOPTER CIRCLING ABOVE THE VESSELS. THEY HAD UNCOVERED THEIR GUNS, SINCE THEY WERE UNCLEAR OF THE INTENTIONS OF THE BRITISH SIDE.
4. ZHENG SAID THAT A CHINESE SEAMAN HAD BEEN SERIOUSLY INJURED
IN THE INCIDENT (BREAKING A LEG), AND THE CHINESE VESSEL HAD BEEN
CONFIDENTIAL
/ DAMAGED.
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