CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO PRIORITY F C O
TELNO 332
CONFIDENTIAL
HICC 300/! TOP COPY
OF 03102OZ FEBRUARY 92
Q DIST?
ст
INFO PRIORITY PEKING, WASHINGTON, UKREP JLG HONG KONG
056455 MDLIAN 1384
pa.
RADIO FREE CHINA
1. THE U.S. CONSULATE-GENERAL HAVE INFORMED US THAT A DELEGATION
OF STAFFERS FROM THE HOUSE FOREIGN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE WILL BE VISITING HONG KONG ON 11 AND 12 FEBRUARY TO DISCUSS THE
POSSIBILITY OF USING THE BBC TRANSMITTING FACILITY IN HONG KONG TO TRANSMIT A NEW BROADCASTING SERVICE TO CHINA, ENTITLED RADIO FREE CHINA. THE DELEGATION HAVE REQUESTED CALLS ON THE POLITICAL ADVISER'S OFFICE AND THE HEAD OF THE BBC TRANSMITTING STATION HERE.
2. THE WAY OF BACKGROUND, THE CONSULATE HAVE TOLD US THAT A COMMISSION ON BROADCASTING TO THE PRC WAS CREATED BY THE MOST RECENT FOREIGN RELATIONS AUTHORISATION ACT. IT IS CHARGED WITH STUDYING THE FEASIBILITY OF ESTABLISHING A SURROGATE RADIO BROADCASTING SERVICE TO CHINA, BASED ON RADIO FREE EUROPE AND RADIO LIBERTY, AND DIFFERING IN PROGRAMMING AND MOTION FROM VOICE OF AMERICA. RADIO FREE CHINA WOULD PLACE PARTICULAR EMPHASIS ON DEVELOPMENTS WITHIN THE TARGET COUNTRY RATHER THAN ON INTERNATIONAL NEWS AND
U.S. POLICIES, WHICH IS THE FOCUS OF VOA.
3. WE HAVE SPOKEN TO THE HEAD OF THE BBC TRANSMITTING STATION HERE
WHO HAS TOLD US THAT HIS TRANSMITTING STATION ALREADY HAS A VERY TIGHT SCHEDULE, WITH CAPACITY FULLY UTILISED. HE AND WE WILL MAKE THIS POINT TO THE DELEGATION. THE DELEGATION HAS STATED IN ADVANCE
THAT IT WOULD LIKE TO LEARN OF OUR POLITICAL VIEWS ABOUT THE
STATION USING THE BBC TRANSMITTING FACILITY. WE PLAN TO INFORM
THEM OF OUR LONG-STANDING POLICY OF NOT ALLOWING HONG KONG TO BE
USED BY OUTSIDE BODIES FOR THE PURPOSE OF PROMOTING PARTICULAR POLICIES IN CHINA.
4. WE DO NOT KNOW WHETHER THE BBC HAS TAKEN A DECISION ON THE FUTURE OF THE TRANSMITTING STATION HERE (MY LETTER OF 25 NOVEMBER TO HARRIS, INFORMATION DEPARTMENT, REFERS). BUT IF BUSH HOUSE HAS DECIDED TO LOCATE TO THAILAND BEFORE 1997, YOU MIGHT WISH TO ASK WASHINGTON TO PASS THIS POINT ALSO THE COMMISSION.
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