PRESS RESEARCH UNIT
14-YUN-PING-ROAD, ROOM-201
CAUSEWAY-BAY-HONG-KONG: TEL-5-798689 or 5-798807
Soretak mejute to HE « MÜK FOS Entrif
ししゃ
Liv9/0
British Trade Commission
Bank Of America Tower 9/F
Hong Kong
Your reference
styill
Mr Peter Webb
Colonial Secretariat 5/F
Our reference
Dato
2 June 1981
*
Dear Mr. Webb,
You have convincingly pointed out that there was some link between the Ai Qing poem and the Liaowang article. They were in sharp contrast with each other. It seems that the article was written to neutralize the poem. Ai Qing praised the colony in many ways, including references to liberty, prosperity, diligence and the development in many fields, and he warmly praised the great help given by the Hongkong people to China, although he also criticized competition, speculation and "the smell of flesh." This was published at the end of March. It had probably made the propaganda authorities awkward and angry, as well as having aroused millions of people's interest in Hongkong. The Xinhua News Agency was instructed or had volunteered to write something to counteract Hongkong's influence under the pretext of introducing the place where five million "compatriots" live. The actual writing was probably done by the Hongkong Branch of Xinhua. The first issue of Liaowang monthly began to publish on 20 April a series, entitled
"Hongkong Today. " The first instalment was on "The General Features of the Free Port." The second
· instalment, appeared on 20 May, was entitled "The Paradise Of The Speculators."