RESTRICTED
HKC 440/1
177700
MDLIAN 5063
RESTRICTED
FM HONG KONG
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELNO 1275
OF 120945Z MAY 92
AND TO PRIORITY PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG
TOP COPY Q DIST?
см
CHINESE PUBLIC SECURITY BUREAU (PSB) LIAISON OFFICER IN HONG KONG
SUMMARY
1.
PSB TO POST LIAISON OFFICER TO HONG KONG. GENERALLY FAVOURABLE PRESS REACTION.
DETAIL
2.
AS YOU ARE AWARE, WE HAVE BEEN LOOKING FOR WAYS TO IMPROVE LIAISON WITH THE CHINESE ON CROSS BORDER CRIME. OUR RELATIONS WITH GUANGDONG, AND TO A LESSER EXTENT GUANGXI AND FUJIAN, HAVE BEEN STEADILY IMPROVING. BUT THERE IS ROOM FOR CONSIDERABLE IMPROVEMENT BOTH IN PRACTICAL, EFFECTIVE LIAISON WITH THE PROVINCES AND WITH OTHER PARTS OF CHINA.
3.
I THEREFORE AUTHORISED CP, ON HIS RECENT VISIT TO PEKING, TO FLOAT THE IDEA OF THE PSB POSTING A LIAISON OFFICER OR OFFICERS TO HONG KONG. CP DISCUSSED THIS PROPOSAL WITH LIU WEN, HEAD OF CID AT THE PSB. THE CHINESE HAVE TAKEN UP THE IDEA AND HAVE AGREED TO SEND BETWEEN 1-3 OFFICER(S) TO HONG KONG. THEY WILL PROBABLY BE ATTACHED TO NCNA, AND ARE EXPECTED TO ARRIVE IN LATE MAY/EARLY JUNE.
CP SPOKE TO THE PRESS ON HIS RETURN TO HONG KONG AND ANNOUNCED THE PROPOSAL. HE STRESSED THAT THE ARRANGEMENT WOULD BE SIMILAR TO THOSE WHICH ALREADY EXIST WITH SEVERAL OTHER COUNTRIES. THE OFFICERS' ROLE WOULD BE LIMITED TO LIAISON AND THE EXCHANGE OF INFORMATION WITH THE RHKP.
5.
WEN WEI PO, THE HK ECONOMIC TIMES AND TIN TIN DAILY NEWS ALL CARRIED COLUMNS ON 11 MAY WELCOMING THE ANNOUNCEMENT. THE SCMP OF THE SAME DAY STRUCK A MORE CAUTIONARY NOTE IN AN EDITORIAL HEADED QUOTE LIAISON OFFICE ROLE EASILY MISUNDERSTOOD UNQUOTE. IT ARGUED THAT THE CHINESE WOULD HAVE TO DISPEL FEARS THAT THE POSTING OF ITS POLICE OFFICERS HERE WOULD INFRINGE ON THE HIGH DEGREE OF
1
PAGE RESTRICTED