CONFIDENTIAL
HKA 177/1
CONFIDENTIAL
FM PEKING
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 1258
OF 100841Z SEPTEMBER 92
INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
INFO PRIORITY UKREP JLG HONG KONG, HANOI
015156 MDHIAN 8382
30
TOP COPY Q DIST?
HONG KONG TELNO 2257: CHINESE SEIZURE OF VIETNAMESE VESSELS NEAR
HONG KONG
SUMMARY
CHINESE DISCOMFITURE AND A PARTIAL APOLOGY. WE PRESS FOR A THOROUGH INVESTIGATION.
1.
DETAIL
2. AS REQUESTED IN TUR, COUNSELLOR CALLED ON WANG GUISHENG (DEPUTY DIRECTOR, HKMAO, MFA) THIS AFTERNOON, 9 SEPTEMBER. HE SPOKE ALONG THE LINES OF BRADLEY'S (DPA) AND HUM'S CAUSS) SPEAKING NOTES.
3.
I
WANG SAID THAT HE COULD NOT GIVE AN IMMEDIATE COMPREHENSIVE RESPONSE. HE DID HOWEVER HAVE SOME INFORMATION ABOUT THE SECOND INCIDENT WE HAD RAISED (THE COLUYEN 02' INCIDENT OF 29 AUGUST). HE TORE OFF AND HANDED OVER THIS PORTION OF HIS SPEAKING NOTE (CHINESE TEXT BY FAX TO HKD AND HKG). OUR UNOFFICIAL TRANSLATION
IS AS FOLLOWS:
''ACCORDING TO THE UNDERSTANDING OF THE RELEVANT AUTHORITIES, AT AROUND 9.00 AM ON 29 AUGUST, ZHUHAI BORDER SECURITY MOTOR BOAT 1202 MISTAKENLY ENTERED HONG KONG WATERS IN THE COURSE OF INVESTIGATING AND SEIZING A SMUGGLING SHIP IN THE VICINITY OF LAMMA
ISLAND.
THE
AT THE TIME WHEN THE CHINESE MOTOR BOAT IN PURSUIT BOARDED THE VIETNAMESE SMUGGLING SHIP TO INVESTIGATE, THE HONG KONG SIDE SENT THREE SMALL PATROL BOATS AND ONE HELICOPTOR TO INTERCEPT THEM. CHINESE MOTORBOAT IMMEDIATELY RETURNED TO CHINESE TERRITORIAL WATERS. BUT 12 OFFICERS ENGAGED IN ANTI-SMUGGLING DUTIES WERE STILL ON THE VIETNAMESE SHIP. THEN THE HONG KONG SIDE TOOK THE INITIATIVE TO TELL THE CHINESE SIDE TO COME AND COLLECT THE 12 OFFICERS. WE HAVE ALREADY OFFERED AN APOLOGY TO THE OTHER SIDE (IE
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CONFIDENTIAL