CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
CONFIDENTIAL
HKB OGI /1
SVED IN RECUSTRY
T-
TO IMMEDIATE F C O
NUKA
TELNO 1789
OF 041145Z JUNE 91
02 JUL 1991
SA OFFICER
HA
INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG
M
In Stone
6
112765
MDHIAN 9591
TOP COPY Q DIST?
MY TELNO 1747: STATUE OF DEMOCRACY
SUMMARY
THE STATUE OF DEMOCRACY ARRIVED IN HONG KONG ON 1 JUNE ON A CARGO VESSEL AND IS NOW DETAINED PENDING INSPECTION BY CUSTOMS. YANG YOUYONG OF NCNA HAS CALLED ON DPA TWICE (3 AND 4 JUNE) TO DEMAND THAT IT NOT BE ALLOWED TO ENTER HONG KONG. WE HAVE DELAYED INSPECTION TO AVOID THE STATUE'S APPEARING IN 4 JUNE MEMORIAL ACTIVITIES. BUT THE LAW WILL NOT ENABLE US TO PREVENT ITS ENTRY AFTER INSPECTION, WHICH IS LIKELY TO BE COMPLETED BY THE END OF 5 JUNE.
DETAIL
2.
ON 3 JUNE, YANG YOUYONG OF NCNA IN A CALL ON THE DEPUTY POLITICAL ADVISER (DPA) REFERRED TO PRESS REPORTS ABOUT A LOCAL PRESSURE GROUP LEADER INDICATING WILLINGNESS TO ACCEPT THE STATUE AND THE INTENTION OF ITS OWNER, WU MENG-WU, TO VISIT HONG KONG. (MR MENG-WU IS A TAIWANESE WHO BOUGHT THE SHIP ''PEACE'' • FORMERLY NAMED ''GODDESS OF DEMOCRACY'',) YANG SAID THE STATUE WAS OBVIOUSLY A TOOL BEING UTILISED BY POLITICAL FORCES IN HONG KONG AND OVERSEAS TO AROUSE ANTI-CHINA SENTIMENTS. HE ASKED THAT EFFECTIVE MEASURES BE TAKEN TO PREVENT IT FROM COMING INTO HONG KONG. DPA RESPONDED BY SAYING THAT HE UNDERSTOOD THAT THE STATUE WAS WAITING TO BE EXAMINED BY CUSTOMS AUTHORITIES IN THE NORMAL
WAY.
3.
ON 4 JUNE YANG ASKED TO CALL AGAIN. HE PROTESTED ABOUT WU MENG-WU, WHO HAD ARRIVED IN HONG KONG CARRYING WITH HIM, ACCORDING TO PRESS REPORTS, A THOUSAND MINIATURE REPLICAS OF THE GODDESS OF DEMOCRACY STATUE. YANG SAID THESE WERE INTENDED TO BE DISTRIBUTED DURING ANTI-CHINA ASSEMBLIES. YANG SAID HE WAS INSTRUCTED ONCE AGAIN TO ASK HKG TO STOP IMMEDIATELY ALL ANTI- CHINA ACTIVITIES CONDUCTED BY WU AND OTHERS. SINCE WU HAD ENGAGED HIMSELF ''DIRECTLY' IN ACTIVITIES AGAINST THE CHINESE
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CONFIDENTIAL