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Hong Kong : Liaison with China over
Border Crossings by Criminals
to Minichers
In Hong Kong on 5 September the Secretary of State was lobbied by Mr Ian Strachan of the Hong Kong Government's Security Branch about the need for the FCO to be more forthcoming in response to the Hong Kong Government's request to exchange information with the Chinese authorities on other side of the border about alleged criminals.
Mr Strachan stressed the recent increase in cross border raiding parties, some of whom were Chinese criminals acting on their own account, others of whom were acting under contract to Hong Kong criminals. In any event a broader exchange of information with the Chinese police would help check the crime.
The Secretary of State was aware of the problem and said that the risk of the Hong Kong authorities providing the Chinese authorities with information which might lead to a death sentence on a Chinese criminal was something to be taken very seriously in political terms in London; there was also some risk of the Chinese using a liaison arrangement to try to secure information on dissidents under the guise of allegations of criminal activities.
The Secretary of State said, however, that he would look into the issue further to see if the Hong Kong Government could not be given some greater authority to exchange data.
I should be grateful for advice.
6 September 1991
R. H. J. Sm
(RH T Gozney)
CC:
PS
PS/Lord Caithness PS/PUS
Sir John Coles Mr Burns
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