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HKC 30011
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FM PEKING
TO DESKBY 23110OZ F C O
TELNO 573
OF 23100OZ APRIL 92
INFO DESKBY 23110OZ HONG KONG
INFO IMMEDIATE UKREP JLG HONG KONG
TOP COPY Q DIST?
16
123263
MDHIAN 1253
HONG KONG TELNO 1104:
HONG KONG FILM CENSORSHIP: COMPASSION IN EXILE
SUMMARY
1.
CHINESE COMPLAINT ABOUT FILM ON LIFE OF DALAI LAMA REPEATED IN
PEKING. HEAD OF THE MFA'S HONG KONG DEPARTMENT ASKS ME TO REPORT
DEMARCHE TO LONDON AND GET SECOND SHOWING STOPPED.
DETAIL
2. THE HEAD OF THE HKMAO OF THE MFA TELEPHONED ME LATE THIS AFTERNOON (23 APRIL) ABOUT WHAT HE SAID WAS AN URGENT MATTER. THEN READ OUT THE FOLLOWING SPEAKING NOTE:
HE
'WITH THE APPROVAL OF THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT AN ANTI-CHINA FILM ENTITLED 'COMPASSION IN EXILE' HAS BEEN SHOWN AT THE HONG KONG INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL ON 12 APRIL. IT IS KNOWN THAT THIS
FILM WILL BE SHOWN AGAIN ON 25 APRIL. THE DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF THE HONG KONG BRANCH OF THE XINHUA NEWS AGENCY HAS MADE THREE REPRESENTATIONS TO THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT, MAKING CLEAR OUR SOLEMN AND JUST STAND ON THE TIBET QUESTION AND STRONGLY DEMANDING AN IMMEDIATE STOP TO THE SHOWING OF THE SAID FILM. THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT HOWEVER CONTINUES TO DEFEND THIS FILM AND EVADE ITS RESPONSIBILITIES. IT MUST BE POINTED OUT THAT THE SAID FILM IS AN ANTI-CHINA FILM ATTACKING THE CHINESE CENTRAL GOVERNMENT, ADVOCATING THE INDEPENDENCE OF TIBET AND LAUDING THE DALAI LAMA TO THE SKIES. THIS FILM SHOW WILL HURT THE NATIONAL FEELINGS OF THE CHINESE PEOPLE.
'NOW THE CHINESE SIDE DEMANDS ONCE AGAIN THAT THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT TAKE INTO SERIOUS CONSIDERATION THE CHINESE A STAND AND HANDLE THIS MATTER IN AN APPROPRIATE WAY. YOUR EXCELLENCY IS REQUESTED TO CONVEY THIS DEMARCHE IMMEDIATELY TO THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT AND EXERT YOUR OWN INFLUENCE TO STOP THE SHOWING OF THIS
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