RESTRICTED
152732
MDLIAN 6448
THE POLICE IN HONG KONG AND CHINA HAD NOT BEEN GREATLY AFFECTED BY DIFFICULTIES IN BILATERAL RELATIONS BETWEEN BRITAIN AND THE PRC.
COMMENT
TAO'S COMMENTS WERE SELECTIVELY REPORTED IN CHINA, WITH THE CHINESE LANGUAGE NEWSPAPERS CONFINING COVERAGE TO THE DOMESTIC LAW AND ORDER SITUATION. ONLY THE ENGLISH-LANGUAGE CHINA DAILY REPORTED HIS COMMENTS ON THE POLITICAL PRISONERS AND ON HONG KONG. AS FAR AS CHINA WAS CONCERNED TAO'S COMMENTS WERE LARGELY UNEXCEPTIONAL, AND CONFIRMED VARIOUS REPORTS THAT IN REMOTE AREAS IN PARTICULAR LAW AND ORDER IS POOR. BUT HIS REMARKS ON TRIADS HIGHLIGHT HIS AMBIGUOUS ATTITUDE TOWARDS LAW AND ORDER IN HONG KONG. LAST YEAR, TAO SPOKE APPROVINGLY OF THE PATRIOTISM OF TRIADS. WIDESPREAD CRITICISM IN THE TERRITORY LED HIM SUBSEQUENTLY TO OFFER A CLARIFICATION IN WHICH HE CONDEMNED THEIR CRIMINAL ACTIVITIES. HIS LATEST COMMENTS SUGGEST AT THE VERY LEAST A CONTINUING INSENSITIVITY TOWARDS PUBLIC OPINION IN HONG KONG. HOWEVER, GIVEN MEDIA REPORTS IN HONG KONG THAT TAO RECENTLY MET REPRESENTATIVES OF THE SUN-YEE-ON TRIAD IN PEKING IT IS BY NO MEANS CERTAIN THAT HIS REMARKS WERE MERELY DISINGENUOUS.
MCLEAN
YYYY
DISTRIBUTION
158
MAIN
147
CHINA POLITICAL
FED
UND
LEGAL ADVISERS
PUSD
INFO D
CONSULAR D
CRD
EASD/ODA//MR MOSSELMANS
ECD (E)
ECONOMIC ADVISERS
CFSP UNIT
ERD
PAGE
SAD SEAD
PS
PS/BARONESS CHALKER
PS/MR GOODLAD
PS/PUS
MR LANKESTER MR APPLEYARD
CHIEF CLERK SIR J COLES MR AINSCOW MR ALSTON MR MILES
3
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