B. *
CONFIDENTIAL
13
CONFIDENTIAL
137704 MDHIAN 1518
HK B
177
0 1 JUN 1990
FM HONG KONG
TELNO 1640
TO DESKBY 22100OZ FCO
OF 220745Z MAY 90
INFO DESKBY 22140OZ OTTAWA
INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG
OTTAWA PLEASE PASS IMMEDIATE TO THE GOVERNOR OF HONG KONG VISITING
OUR TELNOS 1506 AND 1574 : INCIDENT ON 3 MAY IN HONG KONG WATERS
SUMMARY
1. GUANGDONG HAVE STILL SET NO DATE FOR A BORDER LIAISON MEETING TO DISCUSS THE INCIDENT OF 3 MAY. REQUEST THAT PEKING TAKE UP THE MATTER WITH THE CHINESE MFA.
DETAIL
2. FOLLOWING THE ANSWER GIVEN BY THE ACTING SECRETARY FOR SECURITY TO MRS MIRIAM LAU IN LEGCO ON 16 MAY (FULL TEXT OF ANSWERS AND QUESTIONS BEING FAXED TO YOU AND PEKING), GUANGDONG AND THEN NCNA HAVE PUT OUT STATEMENTS WHICH HAVE BEEN CARRIED IN THE HONG KONG PRESS ON 19 AND 21 MAY. A SHENZHEN GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN'S FURTHER REMARKS ARE CARRIED IN THE PRESS ON 22 MAY.
3. IN SUMMARY, THE STATEMENTS ARGUE THAT THE CHINESE PATROL VESSEL 116 BECAME SUSPICIOUS ABOUT THE MOVEMENT OF THE TUG AND THE LIGHTER AT 6AM ON 3 MAY WHEN THE VESSELS WERE NEAR INNER LING DING ISLAND, WITHIN CHINESE WATERS. THE CHINESE PATROL VESSEL INTERCEPTED THEM. THREE UNIFORMED BORDER SECURITY OFFICERS BOARDED THE TUG AND LIGHTER TO INVESTIGATE. ON BOARD THEY FOUND 8 MEN (THE 5 CREWMEN, 2 UNDERCOVER POLICEMEN AND 1 MAINLANDER). THEY THEN ORDERED THEM TO TRAVEL TO SHEKOU. SUBSEQUENTLY HONG KONG MARINE PATROL LAUNCHES APPROACHED AND DEMANDED THAT THE SMUGGLING BOATS BE HANDED BACK TO THEM TO HANDLE. THE CHINESE PATROL VESSEL REPEATEDLY WARNED THEM THAT THEY WERE IN CHINESE WATERS AND ONLY THEN DID THEY LEAVE. THE 5 SEAMEN ON BOARD ARE SAID BY THE SHENZHEN GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN TO HAVE CONFESSED THAT THEY HAVE TAKEN PART IN A SMUGGLING ACTIVITY AND HAVE BROKEN CHINESE LAW. NCNA AND GUANGDONG STATE THAT THE QUESTION OF BORDER OFFICIALS ENGAGING IN ACTIVITIES AT TAP SHEK KOK DOES NOT EXIST. HONG KONG OFFICIALS HAVE TIME AND AGAIN DISTORTED THE FACTS. PEOPLE HAVE REASON TO SPECULATE THAT THE CAR SMUGGLING ACTIVITY WAS ORGANISED BY SOME HONG KONG POLICE OFFICERS.
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