RESTRICTED
FM HONG KONG
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELNO 2242
OF 03104OZ SEPTEMBER 92
INFO PRIORITY PEKING, HANOI
RESTRICTED
23
176146
MDLIAN 9209
HKA 177/1
Q DIST?
3
(22
OUR TELNO 208 TO HANOI: CHINESE SEIZURE OF VIETNAMESE VESSELS
NEAR HONG KONG
1. WE HAVE NOT/NOT RECEIVED ANY RESPONSE TO THE APPROACH BY OUR POLICE BORDER LIAISON OFFICER ON 29 AUGUST MENTIONED IN TUR. THEREFORE CALLED IN YANG YOUYONG OF NCNA TODAY TO REQUEST AN EXPLANATION.
2.
BRADLEY SAID THAT THESE TWO INCIDENTS WERE PARTICULARLY SERIOUS BECAUSE THEY APPEARED TO BE AN ATTEMPT TO EXERCISE JURISDICTION WITHIN HONG KONG WATERS BY CHINESE SECURITY FORCES. HE HANDED OVER A SPEAKING NOTE, COPIES OF WHICH FOLLOW BY FAX TO BUNTEN HKD AND ROGAN, PEKING.
3.
WE DID NOT/NOT KNOW IF THESE TWO INCURSIONS WERE CONNECTED TO THE OTHER INCIDENTS. BUT ALL VESSELS INVOLVED HAD BEEN
LEGITIMATELY CLEARED TO LEAVE HONG KONG HARBOUR. IF THE CHINESE HAD ANY EVIDENCE OF SMUGGLING ACTIVITIES CONDUCTED FROM HONG KONG THEY SHOULD PASS IT TO HKG FOR APPROPRIATE ACTION.
4"
THERE WAS ALSO A BROADER CONCERN ABOUT THE EFFECT OF THESE INCIDENTS ON HONG KONG'S INTERNATIONAL IMAGE. WE SURVIVED ON OUR TRADE LINKS. ANY THREAT TO OUR SHIPPING LANES WOULD CAST DOUBTS ON HONG KONG'S REPUTATION. THE MATTER HAD ALREADY BEEN WIDELY AIRED IN THE NEWSPAPERS AND HAD BEEN RAISED WITH US BY VARIOUS PEOPLE INCLUDING FOREIGN CONSULATES IN HONG KONG. BRADLEY ASKED YANG TO PASS ON OUR CONCERNS AND THE DETAILS IN THE SPEAKING NOTE URGENTLY AND LET US HAVE THE RESPONSE OF RELEVANT AUTHORITIES.
5. YANG SAID THAT THE CHINESE ADOPTED A RESPONSIBLE ATTITUDE TOWARDS THESE INCIDENTS. HIS IMPRESSION WAS THAT THERE WERE THREE CATEGORIES:
I)
VIETNAMESE SHIPS SUSPECTED OF SMUGGLING AND CAUGHT OUTSIDE HONG KONG WATERS:
1
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