CONFIDENTIAL
18
HKI OGO/1
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063116 MDHIAN 9232
CONFIDENTIAL
FM PEKING
TO IMMEDIATE FCO TELNO 707
OF 040845Z MAY 90
INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
INFO PRIORITY UKREP JLG HONG KONG, PARIS, SINGAPORE
GODDESS OF DEMOCRACY
1. DURING A CALL ON HIM ON OTHER BUSINESS ON 4 MAY, CHEN ZIYING, DIRECTOR OF THE HONG KONG AND MACAO AFFAIRS OFFICE OF THE MFA, SAID THAT HE WOULD LIKE TO BE GIVEN CLARIFICATION ON A PROBLEM THAT HAD ARISEN. IT HAD BEEN REPORTED THAT THE PERSON IN CHARGE OF THE GODDESS OF DEMOCRACY HAD MADE AN ANNOUNCEMENT ON 2 MAY THAT THE SHIP WOULD CHANGE COURSE AND HEAD FOR HONG KONG, INSTEAD OF TAIWAN, WHERE IT WOULD LOAD PROVISIONS AND RESUPPLY. THE CHINESE SIDE REQUESTED CLARIFICATION FROM THE BRITISH SIDE ON THIS. KNEW, THIS WAS NO ORDINARY SHIP. ITS SPONSORS HAD MADE NO EFFORT TO CONCEAL THE FACT THAT THE PURPOSE OF THE SHIP'S VOYAGE WAS TO CONDUCT PROPOGANDA ACTIVITIES AIMED AT SUBVERTING THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT. BROADCASTING BY THE VESSEL OUTSIDE THE SPHERE OF CHINA'S STATE JURISDICTION TOTALLY DISREGARDED ITU REGULATIONS, ESPECIALLY THOSE PROVIDED IN ARTICLES 30 AND 59 OF THE GENERAL RULES OF RADIO BROADCASTING. THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY WOULD THEREFORE NOT TOLERATE ANY SUCH ACTIVITIES. IT HAD BEEN MADE CLEAR BY THE ITU THAT THE BROADCASTING PLANNED BY THE VESSEL WOULD THIS WOULD BE ILLEGAL. IF THE VESSEL WAS ALLOWED IN TO HONG KONG, NOT ONLY CONSTITUTE SUPPORT FOR, AND CONNIVANCE AT, SUBVERSIVE ACTIVITIES AGAINST THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT, BUT WOULD ALSO BE A BREACH OF THE COMMITMENT MADE BY HMG THAT WE HAD NO INTENTION OF ALLOWING HONG KONG TO BE USED AS A BASE TO SUBVERT THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT. IN ADDITION, IT WOULD VIOLATE INTERNATIONAL LAWS AND REGULATIONS.
2. THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT HAD NOTED EARLIER STATEMENTS BY THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT ON THIS MATTER. THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT NOW REQUESTED THAT HKG, SETTING STORE BY SINO-BRITISH RELATIONS AND HONG KONG/MAINLAND RELATIONS, SHOULD HONOUR AND CARRY OUT FAITHFULLY OUR COMMITMENT NOT TO ALLOW THE SHIP INTO HONG KONG, TO TURN DOWN ANY REQUEST THAT IT SHOULD DOCK THERE, AND TO REFRAIN FROM PROVIDING ANY SUPPLIES TO THE SHIP. CHEN HOPED THAT I WOULD MAKE AN ''IMMEDIATE'' REPORT TO HMG OF THIS REQUEST. WOULD QUICKLY MAKE CONTACT WITH HKG ON THE MATTER.
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HE HOPED HMG