HK 2ACH
RESTRICTED
CALL ON MR LUCE BY WONG KWOK-WAH AND KENNETH ASHTON:
3 PM on 5 JUNE 1985
BACKGROUND
1. Mr Wong Kwok-Wah is Vice Chairman of the Hong Kong Journalists
Association (HKJA). He is visiting the UK following his attendance
at the annual executive meeting in Brussels of the International
Federation of Journalists.
2. Mr Keneth Ashton is General Secretary of the UK National Union
of Journalists
3.
Messrs Wong and Ashton originally asked to call on the Secretary
of State last December. Following consultation with Hong Kong, it
was decided that Mr Luce might agree to see the journalists, and the
Secretary of State wrote to Mr Ashton to this effect. Mr Ashton did
not take advantage of this offer until he contacted PS/Mr Luce
weeks ago (presumably to coincide with Mr Wong's latest trip to
Europe) to seek his present appointment.
a few
4. Hong Kong has advised that the HKJA was formed 15 years ago by a
group of Hong Kong journalists with the aim of promoting the well
being and standards of journalism. It has 300 paid up members, but
claims 800. Mr Wong has at various times in his career in Hong Kong
worked for the right-wing Express, the independent Hong Kong Daily
News, the anti-communist political magazine "Pai Shing", has
"freelanced", and has edited his own magazine (which collapsed after
a year). He has links with Mr Walter Easey's "Hong Kong Reasearch
Project" in London and with a number of labour MPs (including Messrs
Parry, Canavan and Moyle). He is a stern critic of the Hong Kong
Government but also а firm anti-communist.
On the basis of his articles, and his Association's submission
to the Assessment office, Mr Wong is likely to raise the following
A topics with Mr Luce:
5.