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GR 380
CONFIDENTIAL
COMM
FM HONG KONG 211839Z AUG 81
TO IMMEDIATE F C O
TELEGRAM NUMBER 763 OF 21 AUGUST
INFO PRIORITY PEKING
INFO ROUTINE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON
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MY TELNO 756 AND FCO TELNO 669: TAIWAN FILMS.
.31.
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"Psy
TAN GAN OF NCNA ASKED TO SEE THE PA AGAIN TODAY TO
HIS POSITION''. HE MADE 4 POINTS:
(1) THE CHINESE WERE NOT ASKING THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT TO BAN INDIVIDUAL FILMS WHICH HAD BEEN PASSED BY THE CENSOR FOR PUBLIC VIEWING IN LOCAL THEATRES.
(11) FILMS WITH A HEAVY PROPAGANDA CONTENT SHOULD BE STOPPED. THIS HAD BEEN DONE IN THE CASE OF THE COLDEST WINTER IN PEKING FOR WHICH TAN EXPRESSED HIS APPRECIATION.
(111) HE ALSO EXPRESSED APPRECIATION FOR HONG KONG GOVERNMENT'S REFUSAL TO ALLOW GOVERNMENT-CONTROLLED PREMISES TO BE USED FOR THE TAIBEI CINEMA 81 FESTIVAL.
(IV) HE HOPED THAT IT WOULD BE POSSIBLE TO PREVENT THE SHOWING OF A GROUP OF FILMS AS A FESTIVAL EVEN IN NON-GOVERNMENTAL
PLACES SINCE THIS PROVIDED AN OPPORTUNITY FOR KMT PROPAGANDA.
2. PA THANKED TAN AND SAID HE WAS GLAD TO HAVE THIS CLARIFICATION. BOTH SIDES WERE NOW CLEAR ABOUT EACH OTHERS POSITIONS WHICH WERE A GREAT DEAL CLOSER THAN HAD APPEARED TWO DAYS AGO. IN ORDER THAT THERE SHOULD BE NO MISUNDERSTANDING ABOUT THE HONG KONG POSITION HE WOULD LIKE TO MAKE THE FOLLOWING POINTS:
(1) FILMS WITH A HEAVY PROPAGANDA CONTENT DIRECTED AGAINST A FRIENDLY COUNTRY SUCH AS THE PRC WOULD NOT BE PASSED BY THE CENSOR,
(11) PERMISSION HAD BEEN REFUSED FOR THE TAIBEI CINEMA 81 FESTIVAL TO BE HELD AT GOVERNMENT-CONTROLLED PREMISES,
(111) HE KNEW OF NO OTHER PLANS TO HOLD SUCH A FESTIVAL AND WOULD NOT NECESSARILY HEAR OF THEM, BUT,
(IV) THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT COULD NOT PREVENT A PRIVATE ORGANISATION FROM PUTTING TOGETHER A GROUP OF FILMS UNDER WHATEVER TITLE IT CHOSE PROVIDED THE INDIVIDUAL FILMS HAD BEEN PASSED BY THE CENSOR.
Se
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CONFIDENTIAL
CONTENT