CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO DESKBY 16140OZ FCO TELNO 1340
OF 16132OZ AUGUST 93
INFO DESKBY 16233OZ PEKING INFO IMMEDIATE WASHINGTON
ANCE COPY
243/1
20 OG 1993
156614
MDADAN 1685
HAN DONGFANG.
SUMMARY.
1.
CHINESE DISSIDENT HAN DONGFANG EXPELLED FROM CHINA TO HONG KONG. DEMANDS HELP FROM HKG IN PERSUADING CHINESE AUTHORITIES TO LET HIM RETURN. HE AND HIS SUPPORTERS NOW SEEM TO BE PLAYING, SUCCESSFULLY, FOR PUBLICITY. THEY WILL NEED CAREFUL HANDLING. WE PROPOSE TO URGE NCNA TO ACCEPT HAN BACK.
DETAIL.
2.
AS WIDELY REPORTED IN THE HONG KONG AND INTERNATIONAL MEDIA, THE CHINESE EXPELLED HAN, A LEADING TIANANMEN TRADE UNION ACTIVIST, INTO HONG KONG ACROSS THE LO WU BORDER BRIDGE DURING THE NIGHT OF 14 AUGUST. HE HAD ENTERED CHINA LEGALLY ON A VALID CHINESE PASSPORT FROM HONG KONG SHORTLY BEFORE HAND. ON HIS EXPULSION, HE DEMANDED THAT HONG KONG IMMIGRATION OFFICIALS IMMEDIATELY EXPEL HIM BACK INTO CHINA. AFTER A PERIOD IN WHICH HE COOLED DOWN FROM HIS INITIAL, HIGHLY AGITATED, STATE HE WAS ALLOWED TO MAKE A FURTHER ATTEMPT TO CROSS THE BRIDGE. THE CHINESE, WHOM WE HAD WARNED THROUGH THE BORDER LIAISON CHANNEL BECAUSE OF THE RISK OF A VIOLENT SCENE, REFUSED HIM ENTRY. HE THEN ACCEPTED CHAVING INITIALLY REFUSED IT) A 7 DAY TRANSIT VISA FOR HONG KONG.
3. HAN'S PRESENCE IN HONG KONG HAS RAPIDLY BECOME THE DOMINANT
LOCAL MEDIA EVENT. HE ALLEGES THAT CHINESE SECURITY OFFICIALS TOLD HIM HE WAS NO LONGER WELCOME IN HIS OWN COUNTRY BECAUSE OF HIS 'SUBERSIVE ACTIVITIES' ABROAD. IN RESPONSE TO HIS DEMAND FOR A DISCUSSION WITH HKG POLICY OFFICIALS, A MEMBER OF SECURITY BRANCH MET HIM ON 16 AUGUST. HIS MAIN REQUEST AT THIS MEETING WAS FOR HKG TO PREVAIL UPON THE CHINESE TO REVERSE THEIR DECISION. ON EMERGING AFTERWARDS, SURROUNDED BY A CROWD OF JOURNALISTS, HE BUMPED BY CHANCE INTO US CONGRESSMAN ACKERMAN, WHO HAD JUST CALLED ON THE ACTING GOVERNOR. THEY ARRANGED TO MEET AGAIN ON 17 AUGUST.
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