residents and workers by the British Authorities in Hong Kong by making
use of the labour capital dispute of the Artificial Plastic Flower Works
is big explosive of this criminal plan of sanguinary suppression. Their
Fascist atrocities have aroused boundless indignation among the Chinese
residents in Hong Kong and the entire Chinese people. The Chinese
Government hereby
/lodges
Peking telegram No. 479 to Foreign Office
- 2 -
lodges the most urgent and strongest protest with the British Government
against these atrocities. The sanguinary atrocities wholly perpetrated
by the British Authorities in Hong Kong show that they mortally fear and
bitterly hate China's great proletarian cultural revolution. This great
revolutionary movement which is without parallel in history has dealt a
telling blow to imperialism modern revisionism and world reaction,
completely shattered their dream of counter-revolutionary capitalist
restoration in China and greatly encouraged and impelled the liberation
struggles of the oppressed peopes and oppressed nations of the whole
world. In particular, this great revolutionary movement has caused our
Chinese co-patriots in Hong Kong to love still more ardently the thought
of Mao Tse-Tung, and they are vigorously unfolding the movement of
creative study and application of Chairman Mao's works. Armed with the
ever victorious thought of liao Tse-Tung, the masses of our patriotic
compatriots are more militant than ever in fighting imperialism.
Frightened out of their wits by this, the British Authorities in Hong
Kong vainly attempted by violent suppression to restrict the influence
of Hao Tse-Tung's thought and to maintain their control, and thus
committed the barbarous Fascist atrocities. The Chinese Goverment must
sternly warn the British Government that in so doing you have completely
miscalculated and misjudged your opponent. Succeeding to the glorious
tradition of anti imperialist struggle of over a century, the Chinese
workers and residents in Hong Kong armed with bao Tse-Tung's thought are
neither to be cowed nor crushed. Holding high the great Red Banner of
Mao Tse-Tung's thought, they are resolved [?word omitted] no sacrifice
and are surmounting every difficulty to win victory in this struggle
against the atrocities committed by the British Authorities in Hong
Kong.
Heroic, staunch and unyielding, they have greatly developed the glorious
anti imperialist and patriotic tradition and are indeed fine sons and
daughters of the Chinese Nation. The British Authorities in Hong Kong
are blustering and baring their fangs, but as Chairman Mao, the great
leader of the Chinese people, has pointed out, "in the final analysis,
their persecution of the revolutionary people only serves to accelerate
the people's revolutions on a broader and more intense scale". In
sanguinary suppressing Chinese residents, the British Authorities in
Hong Kong can only end up like one "lifting a rock only to drop it on
one's own feet","
Mr. Hopson
Sent 0210 15 May
Reed 05452 15 Kay
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FLASH PEKING TO FOREIGN OFFICE
Telno. 478 15 kay 1967
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е
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MAY 1967
FDI/I
Addressed to Foreign Office telegram No. 478 of 15 May Repeated for
information Flash Hongkong, Immediate POLAD Singapore and Washington.
Kowloon Disturbances.
Vice-Minister Lo Kuei-po
summoned me early this morning
and handed me a copy of Chinese Foreign Ministry statement which is
being published.
Following is final paragraph:
'The Chinese Government hereby solemnly declares, the Chinese Government
and the 700,000,000 Chinese people firmly support their compatriots in
Hong kong in their heroic and just struggle and resolutely stand behind
them as their powerful backing. The Chinese Government demands in all
seriousness that the British Government instruct the British authorities
in Hong Kong as follows. Immediately accept all the just demands put
forward by Chinese workers and residents in Hong Kong.
mmediately stop all Fascist messures Immediately set free all the
arrested persons ncludi
JOMBIIsts and cameramen (punishi dia Horkers)
responsible for
these sanguinary atrocities, offer apologies to the victims and
compensate for all their losses, and, guarantee against the occurrence
of similer incidents. The British Government and the British authorities
in Hong Kong must immediately and unconditionally accept the above
mentioned solemn and just demands of the Chinese Government. The Chinese
Government and people are determined to carry the struggle through to
the end. Should the British Government and the British authorities in
Hong Kong cling to their perverse course, they must be held responsible
for all the grave consequences arising therefrom.'
Mr. Hopson
Sent 0100Z/15 May Received 02432/15 May
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Peking telegram No. 478 of 15 May 1967 to Foreign Office
2.
[Kowloon Disturbances]
Please insert following as paragraph 2:
Full text and comments follow.
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FLASH PEKING TO FOREIGN OFFICE
Telno 474
SECRET
12 May 1967
TOP COPY.
RECEIVED IN ARCHIVES No.31
12 MAY 1967
FDI ||
Addressed to Foreign Office telegram No. 474 of 12 May, Repeated for
information to Hong Kong and Singapore.
FDILL@
Hong Kong telegram No. 589 to Commonwealth Office. Disturbances in Hong
Kong.
1
I see disadvantages in making an approach to the Chinese at this stage.
All the indications are that they have been taken by surprise and the
fact that the mainland Press has still not reported the incidents
suggests that they have still not decided here to play the situation.
2. An approach by us now would be likely to be regarded as an indication
of nervousness and weakness and would be an encouragement to the Chinese
to believe that they could score another cheap victory on the Macao
pattern. Moreover, the cooler heads within the Chinese leadership will
already be aware of the considerations set out in paragraph 5 of
telegram under reference.
3.
Difficult though it may be, I would therefore recommend that we ride out
the storm for the time being.
4. If, nevertheless, a decision is taken to make an approach to the
Chinese, I would urge that this is likely to be done more effectively in
London than here, where it could well take several days before they
granted me an interview.
Foreign Office pass Flash to Hong Kong 330.
Mr. Hopson
Sent 1200 12 May
Reed 13112 12 May
[Repeated as requested]
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Cypher
SECRET
INWARD TELEGRAM
TO THE COMMONWEALTH OFFICE
(The Secretary of State)
FROM HONG KONG (8ir D. Trench)
D. 12th May, 1967. R. 12th
RECEIVED IN [ARCHIVES No.31
1 5 MAY 1967
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T.S.
PLASH BECRET No. 589
Addressed to Commonwealth Office. Repeated FLASH to Peking, No. 207.
vermind for copy of the tel
OIL M.
Canton (ca)
H IMMEDIATE to POLAD Singapore, No. 74
(8. of S. please pass to both).
Your telegram 894.
Disturbances in Hong Kong.
All available information suggests that the disturbances at the
artificial flower works on 6th May were not planned in advance by the
Rubber and Plastic Workers' Union nor by any other organisation. The
rank and file had been encouraged to develop a "struggle" against the
management, and what started as peaceful picketing degenerated into
violence.
2. I do not believe that the Hong Kong Left wing leadership were at that
stage looking for a confrontation with Government. But with the arrests
of the workers the dispute became a "political struggle"; and it now
appears that the leadership have little alternative but to exert all-out
pressure on the Hong Kong Government to accept the demands (paragraph 2
of my telegram No. 557) which have been made in the style of Macao. The
Left wing press today publishes a further demand, that Government
apologise to the arrested Workers; and no doubt more demanda are likely
to be added.
3. There were some indications that the Left wing had been trying, at
least until yesterday, to restrict the "struggle" to the places where
disputes were actually taking place, notably the cement and the
artificial flower works. No sympathetic strike action has yet taken
place. However, the leadership have clearly had difficulty in keeping
the rank and file under control; and these difficulties are now likely
to be increased. Until the Left wing leaders achieve some success which
will prove the power of the thoughts of Mao Tse Tung and will also prove
that they themselves are loyal followers of the cultural revolution, the
"struggle" is likely to be intensified.
SECRET
14.
SECRET
4. The Left wing and Government now seen to be set on a collision
course. Even the incidents which have occurred so far could have a grave
effect on general confidence in Hong Kong; and they are clearly as
little in the interests of th C.P.G. as of ourselves. We have been
trying, through the few channels at our disposal, to make this point to
local Left- wing leaders. But their freedom of action is very
restricted. In the circumstances, you may wish to consider the
possibility of making early representations to the C.P.G. in London if
not in Feking, to ensure that they are aware of the very serious
implications of the situation as it may be developing. I can see that
there might be technical difficulties in finding a peg on which to hang
a discussion of this sort, but there seênв a serious danger that unless
the local Left wing are directed from a very high level to pursue a more
moderate policy, things Hay get out of hand.
5.
An approach might take the following lines:-
(a) The Hong Kong Government much regret the disturbances
that have taken place in Hong Kong during the past week. The C.P.G.
should know that there is no change in Hong Kong Government policy
towards Left-wing labour organisations. The policy is now, as always, to
maintain the law impartially and fairly. Govern- ment realise that in
some cases workers may well have legitimate grievances. As the Royal
Interocean Lines dispute showed, there are ways of remedying these by
action within the law.
(b) But if the workers break the law, the Hong Kong
Government mist enforce the law, Hong Kong depends for its existence on
stability and confidence. Disorderly action by labour here is bound to
attract world attention and to damage, possibly permanently, Hong Kong's
economic prospects for the future, The interests not only of Hong Kong
Government but of the workers of Hong Kong and possibly also China will
be seriously affected.
(c) For these reasons it is impossible for H.M.G. to
acquiesce in a situation comparable with what has recently developed in
Macao. Unless more effective control can be exercised over the way in
which Hong Kong workers express their grievances, there are dangers of a
collision which could destroy Hong Kong as an economic entity and also
have serious inter- national repercussions.
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FD1|1 (24)
18
回
En Clair
IMMEDIATE No.583
INWARD TELEGRAM
TO THE COMMONWEALTH OFFICE (The Secretary of State)
FROM HONG KONG (Sir D. Trench)
D. 12th May 1967 R. 12th
03502
RECEIVED IN ARCHIVES No.31
1 5 MAY 1967
FD1|1
Addressed to Commonwealth Office (D.T.D.) Repeated Peking No.205
H
H POLAD Singapore No.72
Washington No.111
H
My telegram No.581 (not to Washington).
Hong Kong disturbances.
pq.
The Left Wing papers this morning (12th May) devote
the whole of their front page, Hong Kong page and much other space to
yesterday's incidents in Sampokong. The reports and photographs are
slanted to create the impression of unnecessary police brutality.
H
2. The editorial in the Wen Wei Pao is entitled serious warning to
Trench". After a brief reference to the earlier incidents at the walled
city and the plastic factory the editorial gives a biased description of
yesterday'a incidents at Sampokong. It then goes on "From this series of
bloody suppressions it can be seen completely clearly that this was a
planned premeditated action with a purpose taken by the British
Imperialiat authorities in Hong Kong. This was a challenge by the
British Imperialist authorities in Hong Kong to our great Chinese
people. This racialist oppression was a serious atrocity committed by
the British Imperialist authorities in Hong Kong against our Chinese
compatriots in Hong Kong and Kowloon. This was a most brazen anti-China
activity taken by the British Imperialist authorities in Hong Kong in
carrying out United States imperialism's war policy and amounted to
taking United States Imperialism's chestnuts out of the fire".
3. The article adds "And now everything can be seen even more clearly.
In the drawing up of this plan the formulation of this decision and the
daring to commit auch violence the baton has been in the hands of the
highest local authority of the British Imperialists in Hong Kong. Trench
is the principal troublemaker behind the racialist oppression of our
compatriots in Hong Kong and Kowloon and the series of fascist
atrocities! Trench has carried out in Hong Kong the war policy of United
States Imperialism and has been the spearhead of anti-China activitiea.
All the criminal responsibility for the series of bloody suppressions
must be laid at his door"
40 "We wish severely to put to Trench the question: what do you think
you are doing in daring today at the door of our great motherland on
territory which has been occupied by the Chinese people over the ages to
engage in such frenzied
/anti-
anti-China activities to carry out racialist persecution and to suppress
bloodily our compatriots? Our great leader Chairman Mao teaches us "We
the Chinese Nation have the spirit to fight the enemy to the last drop
of blood, the determination to recover our lost territory by our own
efforts and the abilit; to stand on our own feet in the family of
nationa". We wish severely to warn the highest local authority of the
British Imperialists in Hong Kong that the Chinese people who have armed
themselves with the ever victorious thoughts of Mao Tae Tung are not to
be trifled withi In accordance with the teachings of our great leader
Chairman Mao we shall wage a determined struggle "tit for tat and
fighting for every inch of territory" against whoever humiliates us or
persecutes us".
5. "We severely warn the highest local authority of the British
Imperialists in Hong Kong that you must immediately stop this violence
and persecution! You must immediately accept all the just demands put
forward by our patriotic compatriots. You must immediately stop this
bloody suppression, You must immediately release all those patriotic
workers and patriotic students barbarously detained by you. You must
immediately punish the culprits and apologise to our patriotic
compatriots"
6. "If you remain obdurate and do not heed our warning but go your own
way the responsibility for all the serious consequences will fall on the
shoulders of Trench the highest responsible person in the Hong Kong
British local authority".
7. Articles also contain further phrases inciting the police to
disaffect.
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Cypher
CONFIDENTIAL
OUTWARD TELEGRAM
FROM THE COMMONWEALTH OFFICE (The Secretary of State)
TO HONG KONG (Sir D. Trench)
Sent 11th May 1967. 22252
IMMEDIATE CONFIDENTIAL No.895
5771/12
Addressed to Governor Hong Kong Repeated
#
H
Peking "Singapore
↑ RECEIVED IN
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1 5 MAY 1967
FD1/1
HWB 5/12
ре
17
Your telegram No.581.
Industrial Dispute.
We are very sorry to hear that you have this additional anxiety and do
not wish to add to your burdens at this present time. But it would be
most helpful if we could have very early telegraphic report on specific
labour background of this dispute leading up to the lock-out. What were
the matters in dispute? Were there any negotiations? If so, how and on
what points did they break down? Did the Labour Department offer its
services or intervene in any way?
(Passed to D.S.A.0. for repetition to Peking
and Singapore)
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CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
16
CYPHER/CAT A
PRIORTTY CANBERRA TO COMMONWEALTH OFFICE
elno 725 5 May 1967
CONFIDENTIAL
RECEIVED IN ARCHIVES No.31
- 9 MAY 1967
ED
Addressed to C.0. telegram No. 725 of 5 May. Repeated for information to
Governor Hong Kong, RESCOM GEIC, Wellington and H.C. Honiara.
N Hy telegram No. 709 (No. 23 to Hong Kong).
Nauru Strike.
ра
Ravenscroft of BPC has passed report from BPC Manager Nauru to
Australians about a meeting of Chinese strikers yesterday prior to
repatriation. Meeting resolved on certain actions to be taken on return
to Hong Kong including;
2.
(a) Use of £300 collected on Nauru to hire a solicitor
to go to Court against BPC.
(b) Contacting Hong Kong Communist Unions to seek their
opinion and advice,
(c) Holding a Press conference on their "grievances"
suffered on Nauru.
(d) Seeing Commissioner of Labour Department Hong Kong.
They claim BPC had no right to sack them earlier as they had signed a 12
month contract. Their representative in Hong Kong is to he Tam Kwok Wei,
one of the strike-leaders, Hollers have been requested to inform Hong
Kong authorities of this.
3. BPC consider it would be useful now with strikers' return to work and
in view of above meeting for the Labour Officer from Hong Kong to visit
Nauru and have a look at conditions. Australians support this view and
have now therefore made the formal request required in paragraph 4 of
telegram No. 23 from Hong Kong to me. They have alrcraft available
leaving Taipeh at 11 a.m. GMT 8 May.
C.O. pass Gov Hng Kong Priority as my telegram No. 25, RESCOM GEIC 12
and 8.4. Honiara 23.
Sir C. Johnston
Sent 08222/5 May
Recd 08232/5 May
[Hepeated as requested]
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106, 191, in
KIDS COLONY, VESTITE PAQUITO. LOFFICE
FFICE (D.S.D.) TELEGRAM HOB.
En Clair
No.561
INWARD TELEGRAM
TO THE COMMONWEALTH OFFICE
(The Secretary of State)
FROM HONG KONG (Sir D. Trench)
D. 9th May 1967 R. 9th
0930Z
RECEIVED IN
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10 MAY 1967
FD1/I
15
Addressed to Commonwealth Office
Repeated
H
Peking No.198
" POLAD Singapore No.65
The left-wing papers this morning (9th May)
continued to give full front page treatment to the incident at the
plastic factory on 6th May. They report that on 8th May the Executive
Committee of the Federation of Trade Uniona met and issued a statement
condemning what it called police interference in labour disputes and the
unprecedentedly serious, bloody and repressive violence. It alleged that
about 100 patriotic workers and campatriots who were bystanders were
beaten up. This incident was not accidental;
"It occurred
at a time when Hong Kong has become a military base for aggression in
Vietnam which is being increasingly used by U.S. imperialisa and when
imperialists, revisionists and reactionaries are undertaking all
conceivable sorts of anti- China activities; obviously the British
authorities in Hong Kong in showing their hand were acting in an
organised, planned and premeditated way. The British authorities in Hong
Kong have all along tolerated and protected U.S./Chiang elements,
fabricated disputes and provoked acts of violence". The statement then
referred briefly to the Nanfeng Textile Company, the Taxi Company, the
Green Island Cement Factory and the Kowloon Walled City disputes.
2.
The Rubber and Plastic Workers' Union also held an ergency meeting on
8th May and established an anti- persecution struggle comittee' which
swore not to rest until complete victory had been achieved
3. The left-wing papers also printed short commentaries which said that
the British authorities are attempting to treat the workers who had been
unreasonably beaten up and arrested as 'criminals' and to use the law'
to deal with them. They conclude that 'whether or not the situation
worsens is entirely for the British authorities in Hong Kong to decide.
People are closely watching to see how they will act'.
4. The papers also include reports of the proceedings at the magistracy
on 8th May which allege inter alia that the authorities attempted to
trick the workers into admitting their guilt by raising bail but the
workers 'refused to admit guilt and decided to stay in prison and enter
into a struggle against the violent persecution of the British
authorities'.
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En clair
PRIORITY No. 557.
INWARD TELEGRAM
TO THE COMMONWEALTH OFFICE
(The Secretary of State)
FROM HONG KONG (Sir D. Trench)
D. 8th May, 1967. R. 8th
៨៥
#
10112
RM 117 (14)
דין
RECEIVED IN ARCHIVES No.31}
10 MAY 1967
FDI!
J
Addressed to Commonwealth office.
Repeated
14
"Feking No. 197.
"POLAD Singapore No. 64.
The left wing papers this morning (8th May) continue to give full front
page and Hong Kong news page treatment to the incident at the artificial
flower factory and publish editorials on this and other recent
incidents.
2. The Rubber and Plastic Workers' Vaion met last night and decided to
put forward four demands:-
(a) immediate release of the workers arrested,
(b) punishment of the evil doers and compensation,
(c) guarantee of the workers personal safety,
(d)
no interference henceforth by the police in labour disputes.
3. The line taken in the editorials is that the British Authorities in a
planned and premediated way have organised a series of bloody
repressions of workers and patriotic compatriots in the Kowloon area,
amounting to Fascist violence. The workers did not break any law in the
artificial flower factory dispute: they were merely demanding the
cancellation of some new regulations imposed by the management. If the
British Authorities in Hong Kong did not deliberately fabricate this
incident and are not attempting to enlarge it, they ought to recognise
the error which they committed on 6th May and immediately accept the
workers' "few minimum demands".
4. The Ta Kung Po editorial refers to the increased use of Hong Kong by
U.2. imperialism as an aggressive base and to the anti-China activities
of the imperialists, revisionists and the reactionaries. It goes on to
say that after the Macao affair many U.S./Chiang elements concentrated
in Hong Kong carry out their activities and that most of the incidents
which have accurred have been stirred up by U.S./Chiang elements. The
Wen Wei Pao editorial says "we consider that the imperialists who
deliberately undertook the violent and bloody repression of patriotic
compatriots will definitely come to no good end, nor will those
traitorous Chinese running dogs who "help them". We hope that those
policemen who, under the protection of the
/Hong Kong
Hong Kong British, assisted in this atrocity in persecuting their
compatriots will sincerely pay attention, without delay, turn around and
not shamefully do wrong to the people of thei mother country."
5. The 21 workers arrested on 6th May appeared in court today. One
pleaded guilty to unlawful assembly and was fined
(HK)100. The others pleaded not guilty and were remanded on ball until
16th May. So far none has yet raised bail and they are all therefore
still in custody.
(Passed to D.S.A.0. for repetition to Peking
and POLAD Singapore)
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