CONFIDENTIAL
HRB 02012
43
010545 MDLIAN 2209
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELNO 3139
OF 29084OZ OCTOBER 90
/90
INFO PRIORITY PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG
TOP COPY Q DIST?
DIAOYUTAI ISLANDS DISPUTE
1. ABOUT TEN THOUSAND PEOPLE, INCLUDING A SIZEABLE PRO-TAIWAN CONTINGENT, YESTERDAY HELD A RALLY AND MARCH TO PROTEST AGAINST JAPANESE CLAIMS TO THE DIAOYUTAI ISLANDS. THE MARCH TOOK PROTESTERS PAST SEVERAL JAPANESE SHOPS, AND ENDED AT THE JAPANESE CONSULATE, WHERE ORGANISERS HANDED IN A PROTEST LETTER. A WARTIME JAPANESE FLAG WAS BURNED. THERE WERE NO INCIDENTS.
2. NCNA DEPUTY DIRECTOR, ZHENG HUA IS QUOTED IN THE PRESS TODAY AS SAYING QUOTE THE DIAOYUTAI ISLANDS ARE PART OF CHINA. IT IS UNDERSTANDABLE THAT THE PUBLIC HOLD A DEMONSTRATION TO SHOW THEIR ANGER AND CONCERN UNQUOTE.
3. THE PROTEST RECEIVED WIDESPREAD COVERAGE IN BOTH THE ENGLISH AND CHINESE PRESS. FOUR CHINESE PAPERS RAN EDITORIALS SUPPORTING THE PROTEST ACTION. ONE (THE ECONOMIC TIMES) ARGUED THAT CHINA'S HANDLING OF THE INCIDENT WAS NOT/NOT STRONG ENOUGH.
4. AS FAR AS WE ARE AWARE THERE ARE NO PLANS TO HOLD ANY FURTHER PROTEST ACTION ON THIS SCALE.
WILSON
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ΜΑΙΝ
55
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HKD
FED
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DISTRIBUTION
55
PUSD
NEWS
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CONFIDENTIAL