CONEIDENTIAL
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MDHIAN 2663
TOP COPY
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 1373
OF 241044Z AUGUST 93
RESE
24 AUG 1993
STRY
Q DIST?
ра
INFO PRIORITY PEKING, WASHINGTON, UKREP. JLG HONG KONG
OUR TELNO 1361: HAN DONGFANG
SUMMARY
1.
CHINESE DECISION TO REVOKE HAN'S PASSPORT HAS DRAWN WIDESPREAD
LOCAL CRITICISM INCLUDING EXPRESSIONS OF CONCERN FROM CHINA'S OWN
FRIENDS IN HONG KONG. HAN MIGHT SEEK HELP FROM LOCAL NPC DELEGATES
AND LEGAL REMEDIES AGAINST THE EXECUTIVE DECISION. ROUTINE
COMPLAINT BY NCNA ABOUT DEMONSTRATIONS LED BY FORMER MAINLAND
POLITICAL PRISONER - LAU SANCHING.
DETAIL
2.
THE CHINESE DECISION TO REVOKE HAN'S PASSPORT HAS DRAWN FIRE FROM A WIDE SPECTRUM OF THE COMMUNITY. MANY PROMINENT PRO-CHINA FIGURES INCLUDING HONG KONG AFFAIRS ADVISERS AND LOCAL NPC DELEGATES HAVE EXPRESSED DOUBTS ABOUT THE CONSTITUTIONAL AND LEGAL
BASIS OF THE DECISION AND ASKED FOR AN OFFICIAL EXPLANATION. THE NCNA HERE HAVE SO FAR BEEN TIGHT-LIPPED ABOUT THE INCIDENT, CLAIMING THAT THEY ARE ONLY INSTRUCTED TO CONVEY THE DECISION, NOT TO OFFER ANY OFFICIAL EXPLANATION. IT IS ALSO NOT CLEAR WHICH
CHINESE DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DECISION. ACCORDING TO PRESS REPORTS, THE CHINESE JUSTICE MINISTER, XIAO YANG, AND HIS DEPUTY, ZHANG XIUFU, HAVE REFUSED TO COMMENT WHILE THE VICE-PRESIDENT OF THE SUPREME PEOPLE'S COURT, DUANMU ZHENG,
SAID THAT HE DID NOT KNOW WHO HAN WAS.
3. IN A RELATED DEVELOPMENT, THE CHAIRMAN OF THE LEGCO SUB- COMMITTEE ON NATIONALITY, EMILY LAU, WAS QUOTED AS SAYING THAT SHE WAS CONSIDERING A MOTION DEBATE CALLING FOR THE UK TO SECURE A PLEDGE FROM CHINA THAT HONG KONG CITIZENS WOULD NOT BE UNREASONABLY STRIPPED OF THEIR PASSPORTS AFTER 1997 AND THAT SHE WOULD WRITE TO THE HOME SECRETARY TO SEEK A BRITISH ASSURANCE OF REFUGE FOR HONG KONG BRITISH SUBJECTS IF THEY WERE BARRED FROM RE-ENTERING THE TERRITORY AFTER 1997.
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