RESTRICTED
RESTRICTED
FM PEKING
TO DESKBY 26100OZ FCO
TELNO 713
OF 260816Z APRIL 89
INFO DESKBY 26100OZ MODUK
INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG, JSIS HONG KONG
كا
010742
MDHIAN 2167
SIC U2B
DESKBY MODUK 26100OZ APR, FOR DI ROW B3A (FOR PARROTT).
PEKING TELNO 694. DEATH OF HU YAOBANG/STUDENTS.
1.
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PEOPLE'S DAILY OF 26 APRIL CARRIES A STRONG EDITORIAL, WHICH IS REPEATED IN MOST OTHER PAPERS, ON RECENT EVENTS. BBC WORLD SERVICE ALSO CARRIED A SUMMARY AT OOO1Z. THE EDITORIAL URGES PEOPLE TO TAKE A FIRM STAND AGAINST PUBLIC DISTURBANCES, WHICH ARE BLAMED ON ''SMALL CLIQUES'' ''RIOTERS' OR A HANDFUL OF PEOPLE WITH ULTERIOR MOTIVES''. THESE PEOPLE ARE DESCRIBED AS ACTUALLY OPPOSED TO THE PROCESS OF SOCIALIST DEMOCRACY AND AS TRAMPLING ON BOTH DEMOCRACY AND LAW.
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THE EDITORIAL CALLS ON THE WHOLE PARTY AND THE WHOLE NATION TO RECOGNISE THE GRAVITY OF THE CURRENT SITUATION AND TO UNITE IN A FIRM STAND AGAINST PUBLIC DISTURBANCES TO PROTECT CHINA'S
POLITICAL
2.
STABILITY
FOR THE MOST PART, THE THEMES IN THE EDITORIAL ECHO THOSE IN LI PENG'S WORK REPORT TO THE N P C AND ZHAO ZHIYANG'S ADDRESS. HOWEVER, ONE PASSAGE REFERS TO RECENT EVENTS AS A ''GRAVE POLITICAL STRUGGLE FACING THE WHOLE PARTY AND CHINESE CITIZENS
OF ALL NATIONALITIES''
3. THIS SECTION OF THE EDITORIAL HAS BEEN INTERPRETED BY THE BBC AND OTHER JOURNALISTS AS AN INDICATION THAT THE AUTHORITIES ARE ABOUT TO LAUNCH A MAJOR CRACKDOWN ON THE STUDENTS AND OTHERS INVOLVED. THERE IS ALSO SOME REPORTING (E.G. SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST OF 25 APRIL, AND, WE UNDERSTAND UPI) OF LARGE SCALE TROOP AND PEOPLE'S ARMED POLICE (PAP) MOVEMENTS INTO PEKING, WHICH IT IS CLAIMED, BEGAN AT THE WEEKEND. WE HAVE BEEN ASKED IF WE KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT A TROOP BUILD-UP IN THE HAIDIAN AREA NEAR SOME OF PEKING'S MAJOR UNIVERSITIES. THESE ALLEGED TROOP/PAP MOVEMENTS ARE ALSO BEING SEEN AS EVIDENCE OF AN IMMINENT CRACKDOWN.
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