CODE 18-77
HKD 3851
ALEDIV.
20 AUG 1987 RESTRICTED
Frete
Mr Walker
Asian Region.
Research Department
OAB 2/125
DRUGS AND DESTABILISATION
69
Лаза
работа
PLÁ
2018
1. In your minute of 12 August to Mr Leeks you invited comments on the paragraphs dealing with China and Taiwan in your draft paper on the drug problem and its damaging economic and social effects. Although the comments below are minor, I hope they may be of use.
China
2. Although drug abuse does not yet constitute a major problem, it is, however, increasing in seriousness as one of the less welcome spin-offs of the open door policy.
Taiwan
3. Account might be taken of the drug-taking activities of the Green Gang, formerly of Shanghai now of Taipei and for a long time close to the KMT. I am not clear on what they get up to these days, but it seems clear that in the past they used Taiwan as a staging post for the drug-trade.
4. Although the major addictive activities in Taiwan these days are still smoking Long Life cigarettes and chewing Betel nut, there is a drug problem. How big a problem is difficult to say as press reporting on such topics is minimal, but there have been drug-related crimes, the most notorious in recent years being the murder of a pupil at the Taipei American School by two fellow US students.
19 August 1987
CC:
Mr Leeks, HKD
Shumene Rical.
S Riordan
Far Eastern Department W 82
270 2958
4 bubr
Sleeps
SB3AAX
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