CONFIDENTIAL
015156
MDHIAN 8382
HONG KONG) FOR THIS. THROUGHOUT THIS ENTIRE INCIDENT, THE TWO SIDES COOPERATED IN A FRIENDLY MANNER.''
THIS
4. COUNSELLOR THANKED WANG FOR THIS EXPLANATION BUT COMMENTED THAT IT WAS INCOMPLETE: NO MENTION HAD BEEN MADE OF THE BEATING OF THE VIETNAMESE CAPTAIN AND HIS CHIEF ENGINEER. THIS BEATING HAD ALLEGEDLY BEEN GIVEN IN HONG KONG WATERS BY CHINESE OFFICERS. ALLEGATION WAS EXTREMELY SERIOUS AND SHOULD BE THOROUGHLY INVESTIGATED. COUNSELLOR SAID HE NOTED THE CHINESE SIDE'S APOLOGY. HE ALSO NOTED THAT THE CHINESE VESSEL APPEARED TO HAVE TAKEN NO NOTE OF THEIR POSITION, OF THE TIME THEY HAD ENTERED HONG KONG WATERS OR OF THE FACT THAT THEY HAD BOARDED THE VIETNAMESE SHIP IN HONG KONG WATERS. THE ONLY EXCUSE THE CHINESE SIDE HAD GIVEN WAS THAT THE VIETNAMESE SHIP WAS ENGAGED IN SMUGGLING ACTIVITIES. THE CHINESE SIDE HAD EVIDENCE OF THIS THEY SHOULD USE THE APPROPRIATE CHANNELS TO INFORM THE HONG KONG SIDE.
5.
IF
WANG UNDERTOOK TO CONVEY OUR COMMENTS TO THE APPROPRIATE DEPARTMENT AND TO HANDLE THE MATTER HIMSELF AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. COUNSELLOR ASKED WHETHER THERE WAS ANY PARTICULAR REASON FOR THIS SUDDEN BURST OF ACTIVITY BY THE CHINESE SIDE AGAINST VIETNAMESE VESSELS. WANG COULD ONLY REPLY THAT IT WAS TO DO WITH SMUGGLING. NOR HAD HE ANY ANSWER AS TO WHY, IN THIS CASE, ONLY THE CREW'S PERSONAL PROPERTY HAD BEEN CONFISCATED AND THE SHIP'S CARGO LEFT UNTOUCHED.
COMMENT
6
WANG WAS VISIBLY EMBARRASSED BY HIS INABILITY TO OFFER ANY REASONABLE DEFENCE OF CHINESE ACTIONS. AS FAR AS WE ARE AWARE THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THAT THE CHINESE HAVE MADE ANYTHING APPROACHING AN APOLOGY FOR SUCH AN INCIDENT. NOR HAVE THEY PREVIOUSLY OFFERED EXPLANATIONS. WE SUSPECT EITHER THE LOCAL AUTHORITIES HAVE BEEN ENCOURAGED TO GIVE A SHARP WARNING TO VIETNAMESE SMUGGLERS AND HAVE FORGOTTON THE IMPORTANCE OF RESPECTING HONG KONG'S WATERS OR THAT THE SPIRIT OF PRIVATE ENTERPRISE HAS TAKEN TOO GREAT A HOLD OVER THE ZHUHAI PUBLIC SECURITY BUREAU.
MCLEAN
YYYY
2
PAGE
CONFIDENTIAL