Immigration Officers to check that exit visas had been obtained
even though they had no legal powers to detain Chinese (e.g. diplomats)
or were unwilling to exercise them in the case of
non-diplomats.
Copies to:
Sir D. Allen.
Private Secretary.
Mr. Samuel.
Kr. Curson, J.I.A.D.
kr. Carter, C.O.
مجھے
CONFIDENTIAL
John Denson
(J. B. Denson) 21 August, 1967.
G.f. de la mane
21/8
210
C
F.E. Desc to su
Ker
REC
F23/20
PARLIAMENTARY UNDER-SECRETARY
OF STATE. HONS
FB/GMT/67/74
OFFICE
REUTERS AND THE
to:
ворив деме- что:
7 hu. Rodgers O.R (40) e) mind. Allon
an of August, 1967.
4) An Haydon (Pasonal)
3) Namma Staff.
司
N.C.N.A.
We spoke today about the new and urgent situation created for us by the
ultimatuň from the Chinese Government about Hong Kong which expires
tomorrow afternoon. The following are the main point which I said I
would put în writing to you.
The Foreign Secretary, in his minute to the Home Secretary of 14 August,
asked for your agreement to the withholding of an entry visa for a
member of the New China News Agency in London and the withholding of a
residence permit for another. T au grāteful for the co-operation our
officials have had from yours in these particular natters.
The Foreigu Secretary also sought your agreement to instituting a system
of exit visas for all Chinese officials in the United Kingdom. In the
final paragraph of the minute, he nuked that consideration bē given to
taking certain other measures against the 'liew China News Agency 15 €
the Chinese took further action against Kr. Grey, the Reutors
correspondent, who is under house arrést in reking.
As you know an official of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs on 20
August summoned Her sa esty's Chargé d'Affaires and demanded that all
Chinese Journalists arrested in Hong Kong be declared innocent and set
free, that the Ban recently put on three Chinese Communist newspapers be
listed and that law suita instituted against other Chinese newspapers be
called off. If these demands were not met within forty-eight hours, Her
Ma esty's Government would be held responsible for all consequences.
Before this conversation took place 200 demonstrators had already broken
into 'r. Grey's house in Peking and telephonic communication from
/the
CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDÙNTIÁL
2.
the house to the British Nission had been severed. The Chinese Foreign
Ministry official indicated to r. Hopaqn that if the ultimatum were not
met further action was to be expected against Hr. Grey. Mr. Hopson has
reported that in addition he expects action to be taken against the
British Hission, probably including violence. Clearly to capitulate
before the Chinese demands would besides Feing legally unnɛnageable Le
politically disastrous. The ultimatum expires at about 3.30 p.m. G.H.T.
on 22 Augusb.
1
It was
This is the first time that the ChinaJe have issued an ultimatum of this
kind and we agree with Her a osty's Chargé d'affaires that further,
probably violent, action is to be expected against Fr. Grey and against
the British "ission. ust sich circumstances which the Foreign Secretary
contemplated when he asked the Home Secretary to reconsider his position
on
retaliation against the New China News Agency. I am sure you will agree,
as the Foreign Secretary pointed out, that if this does happen it would
be indefensible before public and parliamentary opinion if we were
obliged to admit that we had powera to act against the Chinese in this
country but were unwilling to use them.
To have had no indication of the exact nature of the further measures
the Chinese will take and on which any retaliatory measures would
depend. It ia, I think, essential that we should be in a position to act
swiftly once the Chinese have acted. I should therefore be glad to have
jour
gree, ent to inform the Office öf the Chinese Chargé d'Affaires in
London if necessary that:
(a) the New China News Agency should
immediately cease functioning and its nembers should report at stated
intervals to the police; of if this was pot complied with or if Chinese
actions Lustified it,
(b) all members of the New China News
Agency should leave the country within förty-eight hours.
I understand that in theory (b) might not be possible if any members of
the New China News
/Agency
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E
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3.
Agency staff who had been resident in the United Kingdom for more than
two years decided to appeal to the Senior Metropolitan lagistrate
against" a departation order. In practice, we think that the Chinese
would be loth to acknowledge British "urisdiction in this way and would
not avail themselves of this right.
Me should also be grateful for the co-operation of the House office in
instituting a systen of exit visas which would apply to all Chinese
officials in this country including newbers of the Chinese
Diplomaticission, the New China News Agency and the Tank of China. We
realise that the Home Office does not posse33 Bowers to enforce such a
syate: on, for example, Chinese diplomats and that it can be circnventod
if the Chinêsc dooide to leave the country by proceeding to Ireland via
the West coast. Nevertheless, we consider that the system would be of
value and we would be prepared repared to risk its being circ.vented
providing that we could count on the co-operation of migration officers
to infor: us if a Chinese tread to leave without an exit visa.
I should make it clear that it may not be necessary to enforce either of
the measures referred to in paragraph 5 above. A decision would depend
on what action the Chinese take in Peking and we would, of course,
consult you before the Chinese Governent were officially notified.
peke
ре
(GEORGE THOMSON)
CONFIENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
RECEIVED:
ARCHIVE, 1: 3:
2+ AUG 1967
Fiz/20
Kr. de la e
REUTERS AND THE NEW CHINA NEWS AGENCY
As agreed at the meeting with Mr. Thomson, I attach a
draft minute from him to Kias Bacon at the Home Office.
John Densen
(J. B. Denson) 21 August, 1967.
이후
ро
peled
£23/8
CONFIDENTIAL
I
64. (3746)
NOTHING TO BE WRITTEN in this MARGIN
Registry ₤3/20
No.
SECURITY CLASSIFICATION
Top Secret.
Secret.
Confidential.
Restricted.
Unclassified.
PRIVACY MARKING
In Confidence
DRAFT Minute.
To:-
Einister of State, Home Office.
Type 1 +
w 39
From
Telephone No. & Ext.
Department
We spoke to about the new
The Foreign Secretary, in his minute to the
Home Secretary of 14 August, asked for your
reens schmariagreement to the withholding of an entry visa for
cried be
by the
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veivisemm from no Chinese
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thian Home Mary Lepires Temena)
aflimon. The
Fullesing main pounds раство whose I sand
DESRATOREO
a member NGTER OF STATE'S
the REspadoneo pws Agency in London
e
and the withholding of a reFICE permit for .
frow fouligne has the cooperation our offiuole another, and for your do
Uperation in
Fod from your in these paskontas maries x instituting a system of exit
visas for all
also sought yous agreemand to Chinese officials in the United Kingdom.
In the
to
final paragraph of the minute, the Foreign Secretary
also asked that gonsideration be given to taking
certain other méasi
measures against the New China News
Agency if the Chinese took further action against
in whing to you. Er. Grey, the Reuters correspondent who is under
house arrest in Peking-
As you
newspap
an
doubt
the official of the Chinese Ministry
of Foreign Affairs on 20 August summoned
H.K. Chargé d'Affaires and demanded that all
Chinese journalists arrested in Hong Kong t
be declared innocent and set free, that the ban
recently put on three Chinese Communist newspapers
verbd be lifted and that law suite instituted
against other Chinese newspapers should be called
off. If these demanda were not met within 48
hours, Her Majesty's Government would be held
/responsible
I
CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
responsible for all consequences, NP Before this conversalém book place
H.M. Chargé
d'Afféires had already learned that 200
theady
demonstrators had broken into Mr. Grey's house
A
in Peking and telephonic communication from the
house to the British Mission had been severed.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry official indicated
to Mr. Hopson that if the ultimatum were not met
further action was to be expected against
Kr. Grey. Kr. Hopson has/reported that in
addition to this he expects action to be taken Cleally to capitulate
against the British Mission, probably including
violence The ultimatum expires at about
3.30 p.m. G.M.T. on 22 August.
7.
before the Chine demands won't besi. I Haging being legally. pimaningar
This is the first time that the Chinese have politienten
issued an ultimatum of this kind and we agree
with H.. Chargé d'Affaires that further,
,probably violent, action is to be expected
against Mr. Grey and against the British Mission.
M
the case of förny
the form
imprisonment on a trumped-up charge after a
public trial by the "masses", coupled with
humiliation and possibly physical peritreatment.
In the case of the Mission the Chinese could
drganise massive demonstrations against it
resout m
which might
to it being broken into,
official and private property in destroyed
and members of the staff "***z* nolested or
ted It was just such circumstances
which the Foreign Secretary contemplated when Le
askie the Home Secretary to reconsider his
/position
Jis astmon
NOTHING TO BE WRITTEN IN THIS MARGIN
CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
1
NOTHING TO BE WRITTEN IN THIS MARGIN
of this um
not comiths wka;
position on retaliation against the New China
News Agency.
am sure you will agree, as the Foreign
Secretary pointed out, that if this does happen
it would be indefensible before public and
parliamentary opinion if we were obliged to
admit that we had powers to act against the
Chinese in this country but were unwilling to
use them.
exact X.
Te have had no indication of the nature of
the further measures the Chinese will take and Ar thick
any retaliatory measures would depend on this.
It is, I think, dort that we should be in
a position to act swiftly once the Chinese have
paxis.
I should therefore be glad to have
your agreement
in the light of my action taken
in Paking, to inform the Office of the Chinese
necessary
Chargé d'Affaires in London that:
(a) the New China News Agency should immediately
cease functioning and its members should
report at stated intervals to the police,
org if Chinese actions justified it
(b) all rembers of the N.C.N.A. should leave
The sound
bonden) within 48 hours.
I understand that in theory (b) might not be
possible if any members of the N.C.N.A. staff
who had been resident in the United Kingdom for
more than two years decided to appeal to the
Senior Metropolitan Magistrate against a
deportation order. In practice,we think that the Chinese would be loth
to acknowledge British
jurisdiction in this way and would not avail
themselves of this right.
We should also be grateful for the
oo-operation of the Home Office in instituting
a system of exit visas which would apply to all
ANZIDENTIAL
/Chinese
CONFIDENTIAL
Chinese officials in this country including
members of the Chinese Diplomatic Kiasion, the
N.C.N.A. and the Bank of China. We realise
that the Home Office does not possess powera to
enforce such a system on, for example, Chinese
diplomats and that it can be circunvented if
the Chinese decide to leave the country by
decide
sxsviding proceeding to Ireland via the Fest
coast. Nevertheless, we consider that the
system would be of value and we would be
prepared to risk its being circumvented
providing that we could count on the co-operation of Immigration
officers to inform us if a
Chinese tried to leve without an exit visa.
7. I should make it clear finally that it
may not be necessary to enforce either of the
measures referred to in paragraph 5 above.
A decision Yould depend on what action the
Chinese take in Peking and we would, of
cpurse,
course
Grovermore you
consult you before the Chinese were officially
notified.
CONFIDENTIAL
8
2448
NOTHING TO BE WRITTEN IN THIS MARGIN
SVRSTACY
7/72
$
'FD IN
No.31
1 AUG 1967
F23/20
FE Dept Kentin
Copia's sent t:
& A. Rodger
Retaliation against
Chinese
2) En D. Atten
Mr. de la Mane
Am. Haydon (Personal) 5) Planning Stat.
Sentani
I have now had an opportunity to study
your minute of 1 August about retaliatory action
against the Chinese in this country. As you
suggested there, our officials have also had
further detailed discussions on this problem.
2. I think the question of action against
the hinese nor falls into two categories: action
which should be taken immediately either as
retaliation against what they have done in China
or as an essential means of protection for our
own people there: and action which we should
consider and agree in principle now but which we
would hope not to have to take unless the
hinese take further action against our people
in China.
3. In the first category, I should like to see
action taken both against the New China Newɛ
Agency (N.C.N.A.) London "ffice and over exit
visag for Chinese officials in this country.
As I said in my earlier minute of 19 July, the
K...N.^., which is an orya', under the direct
CONFIDENTIAL
/control
*IDENT! L
control of the Chinese Government propaganda
machine, has been carrying out a vicious campaign
against Her Majesty's Government and the
Hong Kong Government, including incitement to
violence in Hong Kong - N.C.N.A. reporters in
Hong Kong have been involved in instigating
demonstrations.
One his already been sentenced
and three more are under trial or dus to be tried.
In retaliation the Chinese hive put the
Reuters correspondent in Peking under house arrest.
It is possible that if the three N.C.N.A›
reporters are santenced the Chinese will take
further action against the Reuters correspondent.
Until the results of the trial are movn we shall
not be in a position to decide bow savers
measures against N.C.N.A. In London should be.
I am glad, however, that your officials have
agreed that until then approval for the entry
visa of one replacement for the N.O.N.A. should be
withheld and likewise the extension of the
residance permit of another.
4. I realise the Jbjections you see in
principle to the sxwision of the N.C.K.A. all
together and to re'using to extend the residence
permits of N.C.N.A. personnel already in this
/country
COL IDENTIAL
country and I am willing not to press for this
I think our aim, at the present stage.
however,
should be to reduce the expatriate staff of the N.C.N.A. Office to one
(the direct
in
equivalent of British press representation in Peking). I therefore hope
that you will agree that when the trial of N.C.N.A. personnel Hong Kong
is over, the application for an entry visa for a replacement in the
N.C.N.A. Office should be refused, all future applications for
replacements refused and that in addition application for re-entry visas
by N.C.N.A. personnel in London
who wish to proceed on leave and then return
should also be refused.
I think this is the
least we can do and in certain circumstances
(paragraph 6 below) more may be necessary.
5. The reasons for imposing a system of exit visas on Chinese officials
in this country are set out fully in the memorandum sent to your
I believe that such Department on 22 July.
a system would act as a deterrent against the holding of British
subjects in China, official and otherwise, and would thus afford them
vital
/protection.
COMPIDENTIAL
+
CONFIDENTIAL
protection.
Because the Chinese operate a
system of exit visas, they can at any time
hold foreigners hostage and
they have made
it quite clear that they are prepared to make full and unscrupulous use
of their power.
For
this reason I would propose to inform the Chinese Chargé d'Affaires that
all Chinese officials in Britain will in future require an
exit visa from the Foreign office before leaving this country. I fully
realise that, if the Chinese disregard this instruction, we can take
only diplomatic action against them and have
Nevertheless, I hope no powers of detention.
that you will feel able to instruct your Department to cooperate by
asking Immigration officers to check that Chinese officials have Foreign
Office authorisation before leaving this country and telling the Foreign
office if there
The more are any infringements of the system. obvious they make thir
checking, the more
effective the deterrent is likely ◊ be.
6. Your agreement to the above requests would meet our most urgent needs
but I think that we
should also agree
feriain further action
/to be
to be taken, for example if the Chinese
retallated more strongly against the Reuters
correspondent in Peking by imprisoning him on a
trumped up charge or expelling him from China
after subjection to humiliation or maltreatment,
If this happened I think we should be under strong
parliamentary and public pressure to take positive
and immediate action against the H...2.A. în
London by expelling all their expatriate staff.
I believe this could be fully justified as
"conducive to the public good" and indeed that it
would not be understood if we had to admit that
we had power to take such action but were unwilling
to use it. I very much hope therefɔre that you
will feel able to reconsider your position and to
agree in principle that firm action will be taken
if the need arises.
(GEORGS
BROWN)
11 August, 1967
CONFIDENTIAL
NOTHING TO BE WRITTEN IN THIS MARGIN
(SPLE) "P
CONFIDENTIAL
Registry 3/20
SECURITY CLASSIFICATION
Top Secret.
Secret.
Confidential.
Restricted.
Unclassified.
PRIVACY MARKING
In Confidence
Fs 67 72
Minute despatched by
Private Secret...y
DRAFT
Minute
Type 1 +
From
To:-
Home Secretary
2.
Secretary of State
Telephone No. & Ext.
Department
I have now had an opportunity to study
your minute of 1 August about retaliatory action
against the Chinese in this country. As you
suggested there, our officials have also had
further detailed discussions on this problem.
I think the question of action against
the Chinese now falls into two categories:
action which should be taken immediately
either as retaliation against what they have
done in China or as an essential means of
protection for our own people there; and
action which we should consider and agree in
principle now but which we would hope not to
have to take unless the Chinese take further
action against our people in China.
3. In the first category, I should like to
see action taken both against the New China
News Agency (N.C.N.A.) London Office and over
exit visas for Chinese officials in this
country. As I said in my earlier minute of
19 July, the N.C.N.A., which is an organ under
the direct control of the Chinese Government
propaganda machine, has been carrying out a
vicious campaign against Her Majesty's Government
/and
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NOTHING TO BE WRITTEN IN THIS MARGIN
DE 933009 GA 863
CONFIDENTIAL
-
- 2.
and the Hong Kong Government, including
incitement to violence in Hong Kong.
N.C.N.A. reporters in Hong Kong have been
involved in instigating demonstratione.
One has already been sentenced and three more
are under trial or due to be tried. In
retaliation the Chinese have put the Reutere
correspondent in Peking under house arrest.
It is possible that if the three N.C.N.A.