156397 500 Pads 2/66-McC & Co Ltd-K.16430 (3609)
1
En Clair
PEKING TO FOREIGN OFFICE
30
CEIVED IN ARCHIVES No.31
Telno 68
UNCLASSIFIED
20 September 1967
21 SEP 1967
3013/8
Addressed to Foreign Office telegram No. 63A of
20 September. Repeated for information to Hong Kong.
People's Daily of 19 September carries a report dated 15 September of a
atatement issued on that day in the name of the All China Journalista
Federation, the People's Daily and NOWA protesting against the sentences
passed on the NCNA and four other journalists in Hong Kong on 13
September. The statement demands that all journalists in detention
should be released, the judgments against the three "patriotic"
newspapers cancelled compensation paid and those responsible punished.
Mr. Hopson
FO/CO/WH. DISTRIBUTION F.Z.D.
FEEEE
Sent 0745Z 20 September Recd 10072 20 September
ह
CONFIDENTIAL
(5
34
Cypher/Cat A
PRIORITY HONG KONG TO COMMONWEALTH OFFICE (D.T.D.)
lno. 1398
16 September 1967
32
RECEIVED N ARCHIVES No.31
HIVES
1. SEP 1967
CONFIDENTIAL
FD13181
My telegrams Nos. 1269 and 1394: Reuters correspondent in Peking and
N.Č.N.A. Personnel in Hong Kong.
On 12 September Hsueh Ping received the normal monthly visit from his
wife. She was accompanied by two employees of the N.C.N.A. and, in
accordance with normal prison practice here, these were also admitted to
see him after giving their names. To have prevented these men from
seeing Hsuch would have implied deliberate discrimination against him as
compared with other prisoners.
2. No doubt N.C.N.A. will assume that we deliberately allowed the visit
as a special act of policy. There may therefore be something to be said
for an attempt now to arrange a visit to Gray, who we assume to be still
under house arrest and incommunicado,
0.A.G.
Sent 0355Z 16 September Recd 0358Z 16 September
DEPARTMENTAL DISTRIBUTION
C.0. H.K. W.I.D. "C"
F.O. F.E.D.
News Dept.
J.I.P.G.D. J.I.R.D.
Tel. Sent to
pa
77777
CONFIDENTIAL
En Clair
HONG KONG TO COMMONWEALTH OFFICE (DTD)
Telno 1384
UNCLASSIFIED
14 September, 1967
1
SEP 1967 FD13/8
Addressed to Commonwealth Office telegram No. 1384
of 14 September
Repeated for information to:- PA Singapore
Five reporters charged with taking part in an intimidating assembly and
ultering inflammatory speeches, were each sentenced to three years
imprisonment at the Kowloon District Court yesterday. As was expected,
both the accused and some fifty people in the public gallery shouted
protests when sentences were passed. Order was restored quickly and
three women in the gallery who had started the demonstration were
inunedintely sentenced to fourteen days for contempt of court. They
continued to protest until removed from court.
2. The five reporters concerned ware:- Ng Shui-Shing, Ching Po Dally
News!
Lam Yuk-Wo, New China News Agency:
Wong Yap-Lau, Wou Wei Pro:
Chan Chi-Fung, Commercial Daily News:
and a woman,
Wong Ling of Ta Kung Pao.
All five wore observed by the Police on 29 July in Kowloon leading an
unruly group of school children (about 100) in slogan shouting and
singing. They were arrested after a brief car chase' by the four
detectives who had observed them at their work of incitement over a
period of at least fifteen minutes.
0.A.G.
Sent 08557 Read 0X0Z
11, Baptamber, 1967 JA September, 196/
DEPARTMENTAL DJSINTHUPTION
C.O. HI.K.W.L.D. "C"
I.G.D.
News Daul
F.O. F.E.D.
bbbbh
J.I.P.G.D.
J.I.R.U.
Oversons Labour Adviser
+
ре
!
1
+
T
[
:
CONFIDENTIAL
RECEIVED IN
32 ARCHIVES No.31,
1 8 SEP 1967
Cypher/Cat.A.
IMMEDIATE
HONG KONG TO COMMONWEALTH OFFICE
FD1318 (0.4.0)
lne. 1394 15 September, 1967.
CONFIDENTIAL
No action required Thas lenn
On 13 September, Pun Tak-sing, Vice Editor-in-Chief of the lecal NCNA
effice, telephoned the Assistant Political Adviser to pretest at what he
termed the beating up and injuring on 11 September by Prisen Warder No.
869 of the NCNA correspondent Hsack Ping he is serving a two-year prison
sentence (see my telegram No. 430 of 20 July to Peking). Pon demanded
that the culprit be punished and that we guarantee no recurrence of such
action, drew our attention to the Foreign Ministry's statement regarding
patristic journalists in Hong Kong and said that the Foreign Ministry
would be informed of this matter. promised an enquiry into his
allegation.
2. Pon's tone was firm but not hostile.
He was
He
3. Our preliminary enquiries reveal that on 11 September there was an
incident involving Hsueh Ping, during which his cell door was shut
smartly upon him by the warder in question. Ping lodged a complaint that
he had been punched in the chest and "alightly hurt" when his arm was
#qeezed in the cell door. was medically examined and no evidence of
external injury was discovered. It appears that the incident was
prevoked by Hanch and that his complaint is groundless. (It is probably
not a coincidence that the incident occurred the day before he was due
to receive the monthly visit from his wife,)
day berere
The channel for this protest is unusual. In the past the NCNA have
normally discussed matters of this sert with Special Branch; although
the Assistant Political Adviser spoke to Pun last month about the
possibility of exchanging visits to Haach Ping and Grey in Poking, it is
perhaps significant that no mention of the prison incident has yet
appeared in the Communist Press here although on 14 September they
printed a pretest by the Director of the NCNA office at the sentencing
of anether NCNA Journalist (see my telegram No. 1384).
O.A.G. Sent 10142 15 September,
Read, 10252 15 September.
DEPARTMENTAL DISTRIBUTION
C.0. H.K. & W.I.D. "C"
News Dept.
I. & G.D.
F.O. F.E.D.
44444
J.I.P.G.D.
J.I.R.D. O.P.A. O.L.A.
CONFIDENTIAL
3.3
ADVANCE COPIES SETT
By Bag
TUKYO TO FOREIGN OFFICE
Telno 18 Saving
UNCLASSIFIED
SAVING TELEGRAM
-ELEIVED
N
* No 31
TOP COF
30 August 1967
COFL
FD13/83
Addressed to Governor Hong Kong telegram No. 74 of 30 August. Repeated
for information Saving to Foreign Office.
Yoshihiko Hanawa a reporter of the influential monthly magazine Chuo
Koron accompanied by Professor Mineo Nakajima of Tokyo University of
Languages, a well-known expert in Chinese affairs, plans to visit Hong
Kong for two weeks from 4 or 5 September. The object is to prepare a
special supplement on the Hong Kong political situation to be published
by Chuo Koron in their October issue.
2. Hanawa feels that the British position is not sufficiently understood
in Japan and is keen to meet and talk with British officials. He speaks
English fairly well. He would also welcome a chance to interview any
senior person in the Government.
We have asked Hanowa to contact you on his arrival.
Mr. Shaw
DEPARTMENTAL DISTRIBUTION
F.O. F.E.D.
J.1.P.G.D.
C.O. H.K. & W.I.D. 'C'
PPPPP
Received 4 September 1967
R
1022
Forsie
With the compliments of
THE OFFICE OF
THE BRITISH CHARGÉ D'AFFAIRES
With reference to Peking Tel 1116
Foreign Office.
PEKING
робове,
ра
21 August 1967.
28
zu No. 442
(Transistion);
RECEIVED IN LARCHIVES No.31
1967
FD13/8
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People'
--
ats of China make the Office of the British Charge G'Affairen
immediately to transmit the following to the buy·les Government.
7:e "ritish authorities in Hongkong have carried tų series of frantic
political persecutions against The patriotic Chinese press and
journalists in Bongkong- texa haw now developed to an extremely grave
extent.
Daring the past two months and more, the British mathorities have, by
means of illegal kidnapping, unwar- pantedly arrested Rauch Fing, Cher
Feng-ying, Chen Teh- m and to Tu-ho, correspondents of the Hongkong
Branch of
• Heinhua Xeve Agency; Liu Chu-ping and Huang Ti-liu, importera af van
Yai Pao; Tan Seu-chun, Lo Haieng-jung
of
•ang King, reporters of Ta Kung Pao; Liang Li-yi ani
dao-ven, reporters of the Kev Bvening Post; Chen Tan, reporter of the
hongkong Commercial Daily; Wu medin ang reporter of the Ching Po Daily;
and Rau Yun- nens, correspondent of the Bconomio Reporter In a further
arbitrary move on August 9, the British authorities ill-
1) arrastad Hu Ti-chou, Director of the Hongkong Evenir. Sovet Far
Huai-wel, Director, and Chen Yen-ahuan, publisher
* the Tan Pang Dully Hova: Li Shao-hsiung, Chairman of the Board of
Directors of the Ham Cheung Printing Co.Ltd. topalimmer of the Hongkong
Commercial Daily and Chai man-hui, Pronger of the Company. On August 17,
the British
tle British Charge d'Affaires in China,
1
L
suthorities even went so far as to brazenly order the Hong- kong Evening
News, the Tin Pung Daily Tews and the Afternoor Kewa to cease
publiontios and initiated illegal lawmaite against Ta Kung Pao, the
Ching Po Dally and the Ham Cheung Printing Co. Ltd, and the Hongkong
Press Enterprise Ltd. that undertook the printing of patriotic Chinese
newspapers. On August 19, the British authorities again dispatched armed
police and special agents to assault the offices of the Hongkong Evening
Reve, the Tin Pung Daily News and the Afternoon Kaws and illegally
arrested 34 staff members of
News
these papara.
The towering orizes committed by the British autho- rities in
sanguimarily suppressing the patriotic Chinese in Hangsong and howloon
have aroused indignation among the mu-
tire Chinese people. It is entirely just for the patriotic Chinese press
and journalists in longkong and Kowloon to Teport truthfully and expose
these fascist atrocities, as
it is their sacred duty to do so. The British authoritier la Hongkong
bitterly hate and sortally dread them, and have now cɔacoated various
trumped-up charges to carry out all kinds of brutal political
persecution against them in at attempt to suppress the patriotic opinion
and muffle the voice of justice and truth. This sen only serve to tho-
roughly reveal before the people of the world the Britian Government's
utterly hideous and ferocious features as
fanciut imperialien
The Chinese Government hereby once again lodges the most urgent and the
strongest protest with the British vover:zent and šolemnly states that
the British Governaert and the British authorities in Hongkong mat,
within 48 hours, cancel the ban on the Hongkong Brening News, the 2in
Fung Daily News and the Afternoon Keum, deolare the above-mentioned 19
patriotic Chinese journalista and 34 staff neubers
+
L
1
innoeest and
against fa In Printing Oo, že and using it 20 and printing
Otherwise,
for all the
illegal. Josoul tə
ily and
the Jan Cheung
Käsnad papers sozial, eperation. be held responsib)
August 20, 1967
K
TELEGRAM SECTION
Room 124 K.C.S.
Communications Department
F.E.D.
*Please send copies of the following telegrai
YTC/1
13/8 (29
Copy/ies of the following telegram has/have been sent
(* delete as applicable)
TO:
1134 from Peking (24/4)
с
Hong Kong Situation Dist
(Signed)
(Department).
(Date).....
Action taken in Communications Department:
(Initials)...........
G
(Date).....
71/8
AFTER ACTION THIS FORM SHOULD BE SENT TO
THE APPROPRIATE ARCHIVES DIVISION FOR RETENTION
156397 500 Pads 2/66-MeC & Co Ltd-K.16430 (3609)
28
En Clair
IMMEDIATE PEKING TO
FOREIGN OFFICE
Telno 1124
21 August 1967
RECEIVED IN
ARCHIVES No.31
TOP 2 AUG 1967
FD13/8
29
UNCLASSIFIED
Addressed to Foreign Office telegram No. 1124 or 21 August, Repeated for
information to Hong Kong, Washington and POLAD Singapore.
My telegram No. 1116.
This
was rejectedt
fee
Following is text of Note.
-/28
Begins:-
фа
एक
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China asks
the office of the British Chargé d'Affaires immediately to transmit the
following to the British Government.
The British authorities in Hong Kong have carried out a series of
frantic political persecutions against the patriotic Chinese Press and
journalists in Hong Kong. This has now developed to an extremely grave
extent.
During the past two months and more, the British authorities have, by
means of illegal kidnapping, unwarrantedly arrested Hseuh Ping, Chen
Feng-ying, Chen Teh-mu and Lo Yu-ho, correspondents of the Hong Kong
branch of the Hsinhua News Agency, Liu Chu-ping and Huang Yi-li,
reporters of Wen Wei Pao, Tan Szu-chun, Lo Hsiang-jung and Wang Ning,
reporters of Ta Kung Pao, Liang Li-yi and Kuang Pao-wen, reporters of
the new Evening Post, Chen Tzu-feng, reporter of the Hong Kong
Commercial Daily, Wu Tsai-oneng, reporter of the Ching Po Dally, and Hsu
Yun-cheng, correspondent of the Economic Reporter. In a further
arbitrary move on 9 August, the British authorities illegally arrested
Hu Ti-chou, Director of the Hong Kong Evening News, Pan Huai-wel,
Director, and Chen Yen-chuan, publisher of the Tin Fung Daily News, Li
Shao-hsiung, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Nan Cheung
Printing Co. Ltd., and publisher of the Hong Kong Commercial Daily and
Chai Nuan-hui, kanager of the company. On 17 August, the British
authorities even went so far as to brazenly order the Hong Kong Evening
News, the Tin Fung Daily News and the Afternoon News to cease
publication and initiated illegal lawsuits against Ta Kung Pao, the
Ching Po Daily and the Nam Cheung Printing Co. Ltd. and the Hong Kong
Press Enterprise Ltd.
On that undertook the printing of patriotic Chinese newspapers. August
19, the British authorities again dispatched armed police and special
agents to assault the offices of the Hong Kong Evening News, the Tin
Fung Daily News and the Afternoon News and illegally arrested 34 staff
members of these papers.
The towering crimes committed by the British authorities in sanguinarily
suppressing the patriotic Chinese in Hong Kong and Kowloon have aroused
indignation among the entire Chinese people. It is entirely just for the
patriotic Chinese Press and journalista in Hong Kong and Kowloon to
report truthfully and expose the se Fascist atrocities, as it is their
sacred duty to do so.
ра
/British
The
Peking telegram No. 1124 to Foreign Office
2
British authorities in Hong Kong bitterly hate and mortally dread them,
and have now concocted various trumped-up charges to carry out all kinds
of brutal political persecution against them in an attempt to suppress
the patriotic opinion and muffle the voice of justice and truth. This
can only serve to thoroughly reveal before the people of the world the
British Government's utterly hideous and ferocious features as Fascist
imperialism.
The Chinese Government hereby once again lodges the most urgent and the
strongest protest with the British Government and solemnly states that
the British Government and the British authorities in Hong Kong must,
within 48 hours, cancel the ban on the Hong Kong Evening News, the Tin
Fung Daily News and the Afternoon News, declare the above-mentioned 19
patriotic Chinese journalists and 34 staff members innocent and set them
free, call off the illegal lawsuits against Ta Kung Pao, the Ching Pe
Daily and the Nam Cheung Printing Co. Ltd. and the Hong Kong Press
Enterprise Ltd., and make it possible for all the above-mentioned papers
and printing companies to resume their normal operation. Otherwise, the
British Government must be held responsible for all the consequences
arising therefrom.
Mr. Hopson
Sent 06052 21 August
Recd 08192 21 August
FO/CO/WH DISTRIBUTION
F.E.D.
NNNNN
ADVANCE COPIES SENT
TELEGRAM SECTION
Room 124 K.C.S.
Communications Department
FED
Please send copies of the following telegram"
* Copy/ies of the following telegram has/have been sent
(* delete as applicable)
YTC/1
FDB/
13/8 (8)
128
No 1116 for Peking
20
th Aug 67
TO:
Rong Kong Sitiation (and China's attitude) Art.
(Initials)......
(Signed)
(Department)..
(Date)....
+
Action taken in Communications Department:
(Date).......
3/8/67
AFTER ACTION THIS FORM SHOULD BE SENT TO
THE APPRopriate ARCHIVES DIVISION FOR RETENTION
156397 500 Pads 2/66-McC & Co Ltd-K.16430 (3609)
En Clair
Now see repmu
of interviews between ihr de la Thore RECEIVLU .. ? She Piny F(3/3
(5411)
IMEDIATE FEKING TO FOREIGN OFFICE
¡ARCHIVES No.31
No.31!
21 AUG 1967
22/2
FD1318
ho 1116
no
UNCLASSIFIED
20 August, 1967
Addressed to Foreign Office telegram No. 1116 of 20 August.
Repeated for information to:
Hong Kong Washington.
POLAD Singapore
I was summoned to Foreign Ministry this evening at 1030 p.m. On arrival
we found a crowd at the gates and were diverted to the International
Club, where we were received by Mr. Hsueh, Deputy
Head of Western Europe.
28
2. He read a Note in the usual form requesting me to forward it to Her
Majesty's Goverment. The Note referred to the arrest of 19 journalists
over the last two months, to the suspension of publication of three Hong
Kong newspapers, the law suits against Hong Kong Press owners and
editors, and the police action against the 3 banned papers in the course
of which 34 further arrests were made. It made a strong protest against
these ctions and demanded that the British authorities within 48 hours
should:
(a) cancel the ban on the 3 newspapers,
(b) declare all those arrested innocent and set them free, and
(c) call off the law-suits against the Hong Kong papers. Otherwise Her
Majesty's Government would be held responsible for all
consequences.
430
As language was even more high flown than usual I refused to accept Note
and rejected protest.
4. Note will certainly be published.
Mr. Hopson
Sent 1620Z 20 August
Recd 17122 20 August
F.0./C.0./WH DISTRIBUTION
ADVANCE COFIES SENT.
F.E.D.
uuuuu
Вати
Copy Sent to Mr. Barnes
Cypher/Cat A
CONFIDENTIAL
KATMANDU TO FOREIGN OFFICE
Télno 164 17 August, 1967
CONFIDENTIAL
M. Hall
t
RECEIVED IN
ARCHIVES No. 31
TOP: AUR:1957 Y
| FD 1318
Addressed to Foreign Office telegram No.164 of 17 August, Foreign Office
please pass Hong Kong as my telegram No.5, Repeated for information to
HQ Brigade of Gurkhas, Seremban (F.O. please pass).
Nepalese Press visitor to Hong Kong. Right Honourable Manindra Raj
Shrestha, member of State Council of Nepal and editor of Katmandu Daily
paper Motherland; recently returned from official visit to United
Kingdom arrives Hong Kong 18 August 1967 for four days. He will be
staying either at Capitol Hotel, Nathan Road or Imperial Hotel. Shrestha
is past President of Katmandu Rotary and will be attending Rotary
meetings in Hong Kong and Bangkok. He would like to visit Gurkha troops
in Hong Kong but would understand if they are busy. A call at
Headquarters might suffice. Please pass above to military authorities in
the context of undesirability of excessive publicity about Gurkhas. Your
Public Relations Department might care to brief Shrestha on Hong Kong
affairs. He is well disposed but of independent opinion.
Mr. Kellas
Sent 0900Z/17 August Recd 11352/17 August
[Repeated as requested. Sent to D.CO.].
DEPARTIENTAL DISTRIBUTION
F.O. F.E.D.
D.D. & P.U.S.D.
C.O. 'H.K. & W.I.D. 'C'
D.I.S. M.O.D.
88888
CONFIDENT TAL
(1677/67)
FD13/
26
RECEIVED IN
ARCHIVES No.31
1 O AUG 1967
FDB/8
Office of the British
Chargé d'Affaires,
Peking.
29 July, 1967.
Dear Department,
You may have noticed in NCNA in English, Item No. 072507 of 26 July,
that Rose Smith, the British "journalist" working in Peking says she has
written to the Prime Minister about the treatment of Chinese journalists
in Hong Kong. We enclose a photostat copy of a letter which arrived at
this office by ordinary post. We have not acknowledged it and we do not
propose to, unless you instruct us otherwise.
yours ever,
пр.а.
Far Eastern Department
Foreign Office,
LONDON S.W.1
н
CHANGERY
To. Prize Minister Harold Wilson
1.K. Government,
Cffice of the British
Charge d'affaires
Teking
Hainbus
26, Kuo Hui Chich Peking
20, July 1967
Sir,
The arrests, searchings, threats and perseou- tion of journalists
engaged in legitimate duties in Hongkong is a matter of grave concern to
all who be- lieve in the freedom of the press.
As a British citizen and a working journalist I emphatically protest
against these happenings and voice my support of the demand already made
by many thousands that the arrested journalists be immediately released,
apologies be sade to them, and that they be compensated for all losses,
including cameras, and that you take action to ensure that there
recurrence of such happenings,
During the course of many years of active jour- nalisz I have covered
many assignments under war con- titions both at home and abroad,
including fascist terrorism, zining, rail and natural disasters, strikes
and demonstrations, Jever in all my experience Lave I encountered such
unwarrantable and brutal interference with journalists carrying out
their legitimate duties.
experience
Svents now taking pla。e in Hongkong under your laisdiction are a threat
to the liberty of the people, and to working journalists everywhere.
Yours truly,
(signed) Rose Smith.
L
MR. HOHLER
25
CONFIDENTIAL
N.C.N.A. and Reuters
RECEIVED IN ARCHIVES No.31
71 0 AUG 1967
FD13/8
Problem
The Chinese have indicated that they would agree to
consular access to Mr. Grey if we allowed visits by N.C.N.A.
Fe13 18 representatives in Hong Kong to N.C.N.A. personnel now being
fu318
held in custody there. (Peking telegram No. 975.)
Flag A
35
Recommendation
2.
I recommend that we should agree to this arrangement.
A draft telegram, in which the Commonwealth Office concur,
is attached.
Argument
3. In the Peking telegram under reference the Chinese
indicated that they would allow access to Mr. Grey in exchange
for visits by N.C.N.A. representatives to the three N.C.N.A.
personnel who were then in custody, i.e. one man who has been