RECEIVED IN ARCHIVES No. 63 - 4 SEP1967
HWAIIN
DADO
1
!
En Clair
HW
HONG KONG TO COMMONWEALTH OFFICE (DTD) TOP COPY
Tel unnumbered
LASSIFIED
Press 040640.
4 September, 1967
Attention Glover.
440
An Assistant Station Officer of Fire Services Department was killed last
night in explosion of a bomb which had heen placed outside Eastern Fire
Station in Hennessy Road at its junction with Canal Road West.
Ten other people including two policemen, four firemen and the wife of
the Assistant Station Officer were injured in the blast.
The bomb had been discovered shortly after nine o'clock on road outside
fire station. Police were notified and on arrival an Inspector and a
constable had just placed a rope around the bomb when it went off
injuring them and several Fire Officers watching.
This included the Assistant Station Officer and his wife who were
watching from a second floor window in the Station overlooking Hennessy
Road.
Several minutes later a European passerby was injured in an explosion
of a second bomb which had been either thrown or dropped.
Following this Police carried out a search of buildings in
neighbourhood and detained two men.
About half an hour before this incident a man and woman were hurt when a
bomb exploded after being struck by a car in Percival Street area.
At about same time another bomb was thrown at Yee Woo Street but this
did not explode. It was later detonated by an ammunition expert.
There was also a bomb explosion outside Peking restaurant in Causeway
Bay and four people two men and two women were injured.
Two hours later shortly after eleven o'clock ten persons ranging in
ages from eight to twenty-eight years were hurt by a bomb which exploded
in Wuhu Street in Hung Hom district of Kowloon. Five of them were
detained in hospital for treatment.
The incident occurred shortly after an army bomb disposal unit had
left the area. They had been dealing with two bombs which had been hung
across the road on a banner.
T
вар
RECEIVED IN
| ARCHIVES Nu, 6.j
P1967
4
HWA 1/1
/A small
1
:
Hong Kong telegram unnumbered to Commonwealth Office
-2-
A small boy had either kicked or picked up an object that turned out to
be a bomb. It exploded injuring the
people. Ends.
Inform
O.A.G.
Sent 0749
4 Septmber, 1967
Recd 0020Z
4 September, 1967
DEPARTMENTAL DISTRIBUTION
C.O. H.K. & W.I.D. "C"
I.G.D.
News Dept
E.O. F.E.D.
J.I.R.D.
J.I.P.G.D.
Overseas Police Adviser News Dept
bbbbb
TELEGRAM SECTION Room 124 X.C.S.
Communications Department
ا
HAW! Dpt. C'
Please send copies of the following-telegram
YTC/1
Copy/ies of the following telegram has/have been sent
[*delete as applicable
No. 1346 from Hong Kong.
4/9/67
TO:
Hary
tong Kong
Kory Sitrep
Legut
(Signed)
(Department)
(Date)
Communications Department :
(Initials)
Action
za་ཆེད་b་ཟས། ཧཱུཾ་
(Date)
4/-/67
AFTER ACTION THIS FORM SHOULD BE SENT TO
THE APPROPRIATE ARCHIVES DIVISION FOR RETENTION
Cypher/Cat A
SECRET
O
441
IMMEDIATE HONG KONG TO COMMONWEALTH OFFICE (D.T.D.)
Telno. 1345
SECRET
4 September 1967
HW
Addressed to C.O. telegram No. 1345 of 4 September Repeated for
information to:
POLAD Singapore, Washington, Canberra.
For Commonwealth and Cabinet Offices.
For JIC from LIC.
The principal features of the Communist confrontation during the period
from 28 August to 4 September have been:-
(a) the continuation of bomb incidents marked by an increase in the use
of gelignite; 3 25 bomb reports were received of which 70 proved to be
genuine. 54 were detonated by bomb disposal teams, whilst 16 exploded on
impact or before the arrival. of bomb disposal personnel. A member of a
military team was
On 3 September an killed when attempting to dismantle a bomb. officer of
the Fire Brigade was killed when a gelignite bomb exploded outside a
Fire Station in Victoria. This explosion also injured 2 police officers,
four fire brigade officers and five civilians. Three other bombs later
exploded in the area injuring a further 3 civilians and 3 police
vehicles were damaged. Another police officer was seriously injured when
a gelignite "booby trap" exploded. On 3 September a further ten
civilians were injured when a tin exploded in Kowloon. A civilian has
died of injuries received on 25 August when a bomb was thrown at a party
of police. During the week two postal times bombs exploded without
causing injury. Eight arrests have been made of persons throwing or in
possession of real bombs and six have been arrested in possession of
"hoax" bombs; all have been charged. A total of 7 persons have been
killed since these acts of Communist terrorism began.
(b) Increased involvment of members of Communist Unions in the terrorist
campaign. On 30 August in Kowloon, a member of the Motor Transport
Workers Union was shot in the leg and arrested after he had thrown a
bomb at police. On the same day an unemployed member of the Spinning
Weaving and Dyeing Trade Workers General Union (S.W.D.T.W.G.U.) was
arrested in Victoria in possession of a gelignite bomb, with which he
intended to attack the H.Q. of the Hong Kong Regiment. Subsequent
enquiries led to the recovery of a further six bombs and threee sticks
of gelignite Following a "booby trap" explosion which injured a police
officer, raids were carried out on 2 September at a resettlement estate
in the Tsuen Wan area during which 2 members of the S.W.D.T.W.G.U. were
arrested for possession of four gelignite bombs.
They have
admitted responsibility for several bomb incidents in Tsuen Wan. During
a search of squatter huts on a hillside above Victoria on 30 August,
police discovered a bomb making centre at which they seized a live bomb,
a number of incomplete bombs
and a quantity of explosives and timing devices. Instructions on
the manufacture of bombs and a number of uniform caps with red star
badges were found also but there were no arrests.
SECRET
stic)
441
嗡
SECRET
HONG KONG TELEGRAM NO. 1345 to COMMONWEALTH OFFICE
2
(c) The serious stabbing of a Chinese Police Inspector by four
unidentified Chinese males who stole his service revolver. The officer,
who was off duty, had just left his home which situated in a large
complex of residential flats in a dens papulated part of Kowloon, in
which a number of Communist Organisations have premises.
(a) Renewed street demonstrations, some leading to violence. The major
incident in protest against the conviction of pro- Communist newspaper
staff, took place on 29 August within a resettlement estate in Kowloon
and is believed to have been instigated by member of the Communist Motor
Transport Workers Union. A bomb was thrown at the police, who later shot
and killed a rioter. Crowds amounting at one time to about 600 were
dispersed by the use of tear gas. Two persons were arrested.
(e) The continued distribution of Communist Mosquito newspaper, some of
which confirmed information previously reported from a delicate source
by publishing the names of 6 prominent residents as targets of future
assassination. Immediately following the publication of these newsheets,
one of the targets received a small warning parcel bomb by post which,
however, was detected and safely disposed of. To date, at least 150
Communist clandestine newsheets have come to notice and the Communist
Press claims that over 200 are in circulation. The contents of all
newsheets follows a general pattern; 40 per cent of the sheet reprints
extracts from the People's Daily and local Communist newspapers, the
remainder being devoted to inflammatory pro- clamations and advice
regarding furthering the confrontation. Police action has neutralised
two syndicates responsible for printing and distributing several of
these newsheets one syndicate had its H.Q. in a Communist Trade Union
whilst the other involved seven students from local schools.
(f) The continuation of efforts by the Hong Kong Seamens Union to
further the strike amonst Chinese crews of ships calling on Hong Kong.
These efforts continue to meet with limited success, but there have been
no reported delays to shipping or shortage of lighterage because of the
strike, although some ships have sailed short of crew.
(g) Continued virulent anti-British propaganda in the local Communist
Press which concentrated on protesting against Government's "provocative
and unlawful action" against the three independent pro-Communist
newspapers and the "unlawful trial" of a Ta Kung Pao news reporter
arrested during a demonstration by students in Victoria on 26 August
(paragraph 1 of my telegram 1317). Editorials criticised Government for
ignoring the recent C.P.G. protest over the arrest of newspaperme... Two
leading Communist newspapers have devoted full pages to biographies of
Communist "martyrs" killed by police "atrocity squads" (the revival of
this issue appeared to be designed to combat the very adverse public
reaction to the murder of the two children and the commercial radio
commentator by Communists). Most papers have denounced the Hong Kong
Govenment for allegedly enticing Right Wing and neutral papers to press
for the extension of the death penalty for people convicted of offences
connected with bomb incidents. Considerable coverage has been given to
prepara- tions for National Day Celebrations on 1 October.
SECRET
/(h)
|
2.
SECRET
"HONG KONG TELEGRAM NO. 1345 TO COMMONWEALTH OFFICE
- 3 -
(h) A bomb attack on a military post at Sha Tau Kok villege on 3
September which broke an otherwise relatively quiet woek in the border
area and injured three Gurkhas. P.L.A. troops are manning fewer of their
field works overlooking British terri- tory, which may indicate a more
relaxed attitude and the return
On
of some of their troops to normal barrack accommodation. 27 August, the
foreman of workers under Government contract to build a new Man Kam To
post was intimidated by transportation labourers from Chinese territory;
construction of the post will not now begin until the completion of an
access road which aviods the area used by transportation employees.
Daily anti-British broadcasts at Lo Wu have continued, and a number of
English broadcasts calling for the defection of Gurkhas and Pakistani
police have been heard at Sha Tau Kok,
(1) The continued partial disruption of food and other supplies from
China by rail. On 1 and 2 September all rail traffic between Canton and
Shum Chun ceased following reports of heavy fighting near Canton. The 3
of September saw the arrival of one passenger train. The entry of
produce via Man Kam To road bridge, which resumed on 26 August, has
again been totally disrupted since 1 September. Normal quantities of
food continue, however, to arrive from China by sea and food prices
remain firm.
Police action against Communist Organisations and premises has
continued in the course of which furthur quantities of inflammatory
posters, documents and weapons have been seized. A number of persons,
including Union members have been arrested and charged with offences
relating to these seizures. On 29 August an officer bearer of the China
Motor Bus Branch of the Communist M.W.T.U. and a leɛling confron- tation
protagonist was arrested by special branch. He is currently
detained under the provisions of the Deportation of Aliens' Ordinance,
る。
The first group of defendants brought to trial on charges of
sedition and related offences arising from articles in the three
recently suspended independent pro-Communist newspapers were convicted
during the week. The Director of the "afternoon news" and the
proprietors of the company responsible for printing it were each
sentenced to three years' imprisonment. Each company was also fined
12,000 dollars and an order was made for the suppression of the
newspaper for six months. So far there has been no defiance of this
order (telegram 1316 refers).
The continuing number of bomb incidents and the publication of the
names of six prominent residents as future targets of attack, suggest
that local Communists intend to make increasing use of terrorist tactics
to further the confrontation. The number of targets threatened with
action of this type will probably be increased with the tactical aim of
waging a war of nerves and shing security forces even further in
providing appropriate personal protection. The broad strategy of the
Communists remains at wrecking the economy of the colony and thus
forcing the Hong Kong Government to accede to their demands.
/5.
SECRET
SECRET
HONG KONG TELEGRAM NC. 1345 TO COMMONWEALTH OFFICE
4
5.
The resuscitation of street demonstrations suggest ar improve- ment in
morale within local Communist ranks. The current preparations for large
scale C.P.G. National Day Celebrations on 1 October wi also be used as a
vehicle to generate increased enthusiasm. Whi there is evidence that the
main theme of these celebrations will be the propagation of Mao's
thoughts rather than the confrontation with the Hong Kong Government, it
is unlikely that the local Communist will not use the opportunity to
refer, in public speeches, to the intention to continue the "struggle"
until "victory is achieved".
6. The C.P.G.'s violent reaction to the prosecution of three Hong Kong
pro-Communist newspapers, indicates the importance they attach to their
major vehicle of propaganda here. The C.P.G. action must be regarded as
a warning of the consequences of any further moves against the Communist
Press in Hong Kong which continues its tirade of anti-Government
propaganda, including incitement to further terrorism. Meanwhile there
has been a resuscitation of street demon- strations and a continuance of
bomb attacks. We expect this two-edged weapon of violence and propaganda
to continue to be used by the Communists in their confrontation
struggle.
Please pass to Washington as my telegram No. 287 and Canberra
No. 86.
0.A.G.
Sent 1045Z 4 September
Recd 1134Z 4 September
[Sent to Cabinet Office]
[Repeated as requested]
FILES
ADVANCE COPIES SENT
C.O.
H.K. W.I.D. "C" I.G.D.
F.E.and P.D.
J.I.P.G.D.
J.I.R.D.
F.0.
F.E.D.
77777
Overseas Police Adviser Overseas Labour Adviser
SECRET
CONFIDENTIAL
Cypher/Cat A
TOP COF
PRIORITY HONG KONG TO COMMONWEALTH OFFICE
legram No. 1346
CONFIDENTIAL
4 September, 1967
442
1
RECEIVED IN
(D.T ARCHIVES No. 63
- 5 SEP1967
HWAI/17
Addressed to Commonwealth Office telegram No. 1346
of 4 September, Repeated for information to Peking, POLAD Singapore,
Washington and Canberra.
Situation Report.
The marked increase in genuine bomb incidents on Sunday, 3
September resulted in the death of one fire service officer and wounding
of 25 people including three Gurkha soldiers, two police officers and
four firemen. There were in all 18 bombs of which 11 were successfully
dealt with. In addition a police inspector was attacked while off duty,
severely stabbed and his revolver and ammunition stolen.
2.
The most serious incident in the urban areas was outside
a fire station in Wanchai where a bomb exploded as police were trying to
deal with it, killing a fire service officer and wounding twelve others
including his wife, four firemen and two police officers. All, save the
police officer, were spectators which underlines one of the problems
that Security Forces have in dealing with incidents of this nature.
Shortly after, two more bombs were detonated in the same area when a car
and a tram ran over them. While the police were dealing with these a
bomb was dropped or thrown at them. A search was made of a nearby
building and two suspects arrested. In Kowloon a child set off a bomb
injuring himself and nine others. Some 15 minutes earlier disposal teams
had dealt with a bomb in the same district. Later a bomb was thrown at a
police party dealing with a suspected bomb.
3.
On the frontier at Sha Tau Kok at 0645 on
3 September a light was shone into the Gurkha 0.P. in the Fish
Cooperative Building in San Lau Street. This street is parallel to the
border from which it is separated by a Nullah. Those in the post cannot
see the area immediately below it. An explosive device was lobbed in
wounding one sergeant and two riflemen. The C.C.A. had been unusually
active during the previous hours probably because an illegal immigrant
had succeeded in crossing into British territory the previous night.
(Two others are believed to have been arrested in Chinese territory.)
Nonetheless, the impression is that the C. C. A. were taken by surprise
by this incident and the indications are that those responsible were
recalcitrants in exile from British territory.
4.
Food from China. Although vegetable supplies are steadily
improving, there has been another sharp drop in imports of pigs. The
indications are that available sources in Kwangtung are becoming
exhausted and that stocks are piling up in other provinces but cannot
get through because of the general disruption of communications.
CONFIDENTIAL
/c.o.
CONFIDENTIAL
Hong Kong telegram No. 1346 to Commonwealth Office
2
C.0. please pass to Washington No. 288 and Canber
No. 87.
0.A.G.
Sent 0930Z 4 September
Recd 09482 4 September
[Not repeated to Peking pending departmental
decision, repeated as requested to Washington decision, repeated and
Canberra)
DEPARTMENTAL DISTRIBUTION
C.O. H.K. & W.I.D. "C"
I. & G. Dept News Dept
F.0. F.E.D.
J.I.P.G.D.
J.I.R.D.
Overseas Labour Adviser Overseas Police Adviser
sssss
CONFIDENTIAL
.
En Clair
HONG KONG TO COMMONWEALTH OFFICE (D.T.D.)
Tel. Unnumbered
4 September 1967
443
HW
UNCLASSIFIED
PRESS
042000 Colony's school children returned to school today Monday as
police kept up their raids on Leftwing premises.
Police carried out two raids today, both in Kowloon. In one raid
early this morning on Fitters and Turners Workers Union in Reclamation
Street in Yaumati police detained one man and seized quantity of crude
weapons, inflammatory posters, homemade gas masks and fake bomb.
Nine (repeat nine) men and a woman were questioned by police later
in day following raid on Hong Kong Plastics and Rubber Workers Union in
Canton Road in Mongkok district.
Apart from a number of fake bomb scares Colony was generally quiet
today following last night's spate of explosions in which one fire
officer was killed and several persons injured.
In another police raid unconnected with disturbances more than one
thousand (repeat one thousand) pounds of raw opium worth over six
hundred thousand (repeat six hundred thousand)dollars were seized by
police in flat in Blue Pool Road.
Flat is believed to be distribution centre.
No (repeat no) one was arrested in premises but three men and three
women were detained for enquiries following drug raids in other part of
Colony.
Another Communist newspaper Hong Kong Evening News was today suppressed
for six months by Court order.
Order followed case in which three Communist newspapermen were sentenced
to three years imprisonment on number of charges including sedition and
publication of false news.
End informs
O.A.G.
Sent 2016 4 September
Recd 13122 4 September
DEPARTMENTAL DISTRIBUTION
C.O. H.K..& W.I.D. "C"
I. & G.D.
News Dept.
F.0. F.E.D.
J.I.P.G.D. J.I.R.D.
O.L.A.
O.P.A.
ра
RECEIVED IN ARCHIVES No. 63
·5 SEP1967
MWAN
Please address any reply to MINISTRY OF DEFENCE
DS 5a >
and quote: Your reference:
DS5/8386
MINISTRY OF DEFENCE Main Building, Whitehall, LONDON S.W.I
Telephone: Wiitehall 7022, ext.
2891
4th September 1967
بها رایه
Dear Mr. Hewitt,
As arranged by telephone this morning I attach the report our DPR(1) has
received from the FPRO Singapore.
I have confirmod that it is required for publication in the UK.
I shall be grateful if you will have a look at it and let me have the
Commonwealth Office views as soon as possible so that if approved it can
be published in the very near future.
P. Hewitt, Boq.,
Commonwealth Office
Room 315
LAST
Curtis Green,
S. W. 1.
445
Yours sincerely,
Olive Harrop
Mp р
E
:
:
h
Decoral Ath
445
Curtis Green,
Your Ref: DS5/8386.
5th September, 1967.
It
I cannot say I am very happy about this. gives the impression that
hundreds of bombs are exploding in Hong Kong every day, maizing and
killing. It is luridly over-written and is not even accurate
the girl injured in the Ocean Terminal bomb explosion definitely did not
have her legs blown off; she was only slightly injured.
(P.M. Hewitt)
Miss Olive Harrop,
Ministry of Defence (DS. 5a),
Main Building,
Whitehall, S.W.1.
4144
F"
....
E. E
I
PA
London Press Service
Verbatim Service
VERBATIM SERVICE 35776/.
WEDNESDAY
3078767
RESTRICTIONS ON CHINESE MISSION IN LONDON: F.O. STATEMENT..
FOLLOWING IS THE TEXT OF A PRESS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE FOREIGN
OFFICE IN LONDON TODAY 30 AUGUST 1967:
ON 27 AUGUST A NOTE WAS DELIVERED TO THE FOREIGN OFFICE BY THE OFFICE OF
THE CHINESE CHARGE D'AFFAIRES IN LONDON. THE NOTE WAS IN THE CHINESE
LANGUAGE BUT A TRANSLATION, PREPARED BY THE CHARGE D'AFFAIRES' OFFICE
WAS ATTACHED, THIS TRANSLATION READS AS FOLLOWS.
ACCORDING TO THE ORAL COMMUNICATION OF MR. GEORGE THOMSON, BRITISH
MINISTER OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS, ON AUGUST 22 AND THE THREE NOTES
FROM THE BRITISH FOREIGN OFFICE DATED AUGUST 18, 23 AND 24, THE BRIT.SH
GOVERNMENT HAS LAID DOWN UNREASONABLE RESTRICTIONS ON THE EXIT FROM AND
TRAVEL IN BRITAIN OF THE PERSONNEL OF THE OFFICE OF THE CHARGE
D'AFFAIRES OF THE PEOPLE'S REPUBL.C OF CHINA AND OTHER CHINESE
ORGANISATIONS IN BRITAIN AND THEIR HOUSEHOLDS, AND HAS ASKED THE OFFICE
OF THE CHINESE CHARGE D'AFFAIRES TO SUSPEND THE USE OF ITS DIPLOMATIC
RADIO TRANSMITTERS, IN DISREGARD OF THE MOST URGENT AND STRONGEST
PROTEST DATED AUGUST 20 OF THE GOVERNMENT OF THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF
CHINA, THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT WHILE REDOUBLING ITS EFFORTS IN
PERSECUTING CHINESE PATRIOTIC COUNTRYMEN IN HONG KONG BY FACIST
ATROCITIES HAS LAID DOWN THESE UNREASONABLE RESTRICTIONS TO HINDER THE
NORMAL DIPLOMATIC AND BUSINESS ACTIVITIES OF THE OFFICE OF THE CHINESE
CHARGE D'AFFAIRES AND OTHER CHINESE ORGANISATIONS IN BRITAIN, AND THE
FREEDOM OF TRAVEL OF THEIR PERSONNEL, THIS IS OBVIOUSLY AN EXTREMELY
SERIOUS POLITICAL PROVOCATION AGAINST THE GREAT CHINESE PEOPLE AND A NEW
GRAVE STEP DEL BERATELY TAKEN BY THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT IN ITS FRENZIED
OPPOSITION TO CHINA TO FURTHER WORSEN THE RELATIONS BETWEEN CHINA AND
BRITAIN. THE OFFICE OF THE CHINESE CHARGE D'AFFAIRES EXPRESSES ITS
IMMENSE INDIGNATION AT THIS AND LODGES THE STRONGEST PROTEST WITH THE
BRITISH GOVERNMENT. IN DOING SO THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT IS BOUND TO LIFT
A ROCK ONLY TO DROP IT ON ITS OWN FEET'` THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT MUST
IMMEDIATELY REMOVE THE ABOVE--MENTIONED UNREASONABLE RESTRICTIONS.
OTHERWISE, IT WILL BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR THE GRAVE CONSEQUENCES
ARISING THEREFROM.''
THE DELIVERY OF THIS NOTE WAS PRECEDED AND FOLLOWED BY NUMEROUS
TELEPHONE CALLS FROM THE CHARGE D'AFFAIRES' OFFICE, CLAIMING THAT THE
MEMBERS OF THE CHINESE MISSION WERE BEING HARASSED BY THE POLICE AND
PROTESTING AGAINST THE RESTRICTIONS WHICH HER MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT HAVE
PLACED ON THEIR MOVEMENTS.
J
THIS NOTE COMPLAINS OF THE ''UNREASONABLE RESTRICTIONS' PLACED UPON
THE EXIT FROM AND TRAVEL IN THE UNITED KINGDOM BY THE PERSONNEL OF THE
CHARGE D'AFFAIRES' OFFICE AND OTHER CHINESE ORGANISATIONS IN BRITAIN AND
THEIR HOUSEHOLDS, SINCE THE ADVENT TO POWER OF THE GOVERNMENT OF THE
PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC, BRITISH SUBJECTS IN CHINA, WHETHER OFFICIALS OR
PRIVATE CITIZENS, HAVE NEVER BEEN FREE TO LEAVE THAT COUNTRY WITHOUT AN
EXIT PERMIT, RECENTLY, EVEN BEFORE THE SACKING OF THE BRITISH MISSION,
THE CHINESE HAVE IMPEDED THE DEPARTURE FROM CHINA OF BRITISH OFFICIALS.
IN SOME CASES THE EXIT PERMITS WERE GRANTED, BUT WHEN THE OFFICIALS WERE
DUE TO LEAVE THEY WERE TOLD THAT THERE WE! SEATS AVAILABLE ON AIRCRAFT
OR OTHER MEANS OF EXIT FROM REKING
PARO
ED IN
No.63
PTOLI Fat?
HUB ||17
小
Π
PAGE 2. VERBATIM SERVICE 357/67
30/8/1967.
IN SPITE OF THESE RESTRICTIONS PLACED ON BRITISH SUBJECTS IN CHINA,
UNTIL 22 AUGUST LAST, THAT IS TO SAY UNTIL IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE SACKING
OF HER MAJESTY'S MISSION IN PEKING. NO RESTRICTIONS WHATEVER HAD BEEN
PLACED ON THE EXIT OF CHINESE NATIONALS FROM THE UNITED KINGDOM, THEY
WERE FREE TO LEAVE AT WILL. WHEN IT BECAME CLEAR THAT THE CHINESE WERE
DELIBERATELY PREVENTING THE EXIT OF BRITISH SUBJECTS FROM CHINA, HER
MAJESTY. GOVERNMENT MADE THE EXIT OF CHINESE NATIONALS FROM THIS COUNTRY
SUBJECT TO CONTROL BY EXIT VISA,
THE CHINESE NOTE COMPLAINS ALSO OF THE RESTRICTIONS PLACED UPON THE
TRAVEL OF CHINESE DIPLOMATIC AND OTHER OFFICIALS WITHIN THIS COUNTRY.
FOR MANY YEARS NOW BRITISH OFFICIALS IN PEKING HAVE BEEN ABLE TO TRAVEL
FREELY ONLY WITHIN A RADIUS OF 20 KILOMETRES FROM THE CITY CENTRE, WITH
TWO EXEMPTIONS FOR SPECIFIC PLACES BEYOND THAT RADIUS. IF THEY WISHED TO
TRAVEL ELSEWHERE THEY HAD TO APPLY FOR PERMISSION, AND IN RECENT MONTHS
THIS HAS ALMOST ALWAYS BEEN REFUSED. IT WAS ONLY AFTER THE CHINESE HAD
PLACED THESE TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS ON BRITISH OFFICIALS THAT RESTRICTIONS
WERE PLACED UPON THE MOVEMENT OF CHINESE OFFICIALS IN THIS COUNTRY.
UNTIL. TWENTY TWO AUGUST LAST THEY WERE FREE TO TRAVEL ANYWHERE AT WILL
WITHIN A RADIUS OF THIRTYFIVE MILES OF MARBLE ARCH. IF THEY WISHED TO
TRAVEL FUPTHER THEY WERE REQUIRED TO NOTIFY THE FOREIGN OFFICE AT LEAST
FORTYEIGHT HOURS BEFORE THE TIME OF THE PROJECTED JOURNEY PERMISSION WAS
HARDLY EVER REFUSED. PROVIDED THE JOURNEY TOOK PLACE BY SPECIFIED
ROUTES, ALTHOUGH IN A VERY SMALL NUMBER OF CASES IT WAS REFUSED BECAUSE
THE APPLICATION WAS MADE WITHIN LESS THAN THE FORTYEIGHT HOURS REQUIRED.
IN THE LIGHT OF THE ACTION TAKEN BY THE CHINESE AGAINST THE UK, MISSION
IN PEKING THE ZONE IN WHICH CHINESE OFFICIALS MAY FREELY TRAVEL IN THIS
COUNTRY WAS RESTRICTED ON TWENTYTWO AUGUST FROM THIRTYFIVE MILES TO FIVE
MILES FROM MARBLE ARCH.
THE CHINESE NOTE ALSO COMPLAINS THAT THE CHINESE MISSION IN LONDON HAS
BEEN INSTRUCTED TO SUSPEND THE USE OF THEIR DIPLOMATIC RADIO
TRANSMITTERS, WHEN THE U.K. MISSION IN PEKING WAS SACKED AND BURNED. THE
BRITISH DIPLOMATIC RADIO FACILITIES THERE WERE DESTROYED. THE
RESTRICTIONS WHICH H.M.G. HAVE PLACED ON THE USE OF THE CHINESE
TRANSMITTERS DO NOT MEAN THAT THE CHINESE MISSION ARE UNABLE TO HAVE
TELEGRAPHIC CONTACT WITH PEKING. THEY ARE FREE TO USE NORMAL COMMERCIAL
TELEGRAPHIC SERVICES,
IN THEIR TELEPHONIC AND OTHER ORAL PROTESTS THE CHINESE MISSION HAVE
COMPLAINED OF THE POLICE SURVEILLANCE NOW PLACED UPON THEM. THE FOREIGN
OFFICE CONSIDER THAT, IN THE LIGHT OF THE DELIBERATE ATTACKS BY CHINESE
MOBS ON BRITISH PERSONNEL AND PROPERTY IN CHINA, THIS MEASURE OF
SURVEILLANCE IS NOT ONLY WHOLLY JUSTIFIED, BUT IS REQUIRED BY THE
OBLIGATION PLACED UPON HER MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT B DIPLOMATIC USAGE AND
PRACTICE TO TAKE ALL APPROPRIATE STEPS TO PROTECT THE PREMISES OF
DIPLOMATIC MISSIONS AGAINST ANY INTRUSION OR DAMAGE AND TO PREVENT
ATTACKS ON DIPLOMATIC AGENTS.
HER MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT HAVE NO DESIRE TO EXACERBATE THE ALREADY
UNHAPPY RELATIONS BETWEEN THEMSELVES AND THE GOVERNMENT OF THE PEOPLE'S
REPUBLIC OF CHINA, THEY ARE WILLING AT ANY TIME TO DISCUSS WITH THE
CHINESE GOVERNMENT, ON A RATIONAL AND BUSINESSLIKE BASIS, THE MUTUAL
RELAXATION OF ALL THESE RESTRICTIONS AND THE RETURN TO CONDITIONS
BETWEEN THEM AND THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT CONDUCIVE TO THE PROPER CONDUCT
OF INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS.
ENDS VS357/67.....L P S...
HB212
PROD
442
With the compliments of
COMMONWEALTH OFFICE
FEAR?
RÉCEIVED IN
ARCHIVES N~.63 - 5 SEP1yo
LONDON, S.W.1.
"HWD1/12
rextract from statement by
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17.8.67
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Hong Kong
Another cause of great anxiety in the past few months has been the
series of Communist-organised strikes and acts of violence in Hong Kong.
Early in May a strike at two artificial flower factories in Kowloon led
to a clash with the Hong Kong police and disorders spreading over
several days. The Communists demanded public apologies and compensation
from the British authorities in Hong Kong in a way that was reminiscent
of the demands made earlier in the year
These upon the Portuguese authorities in Macao. demands were supported
by Peking and on 15th May an abusive note was delivered by the Chinese
Communist regime to the British Government.
In the following weeks the communist elements called strikes in the
transport services, public utilities and the dockyards. Bomb-throwing,
acts of terrorism and intimidation, blocking of food imports and other
efforts to disrupt services brought danger, inconvenience, and loss to
the people of Hong Kong. There have been a number of deaths and some
hundreds have been injured. What has been happening in Hong Kong is
guerilla warfare in an urban area. But these efforts have largely failed
to achieve their objectives.
The British authorities have countered the communist tactics by raiding
premises used by the militant groups.
They have uncovered evidence of preparations for sustained violence,
including stocks of weapons and explosives, and in one case, a casualty
hospital. These strong-points were discovered in premises
DADO
9.
which purported to be union headquarters or commercial houses, and they
are clear evidence that the Communists have been preparing in depth for
insurrection in the colony.
The extent to which the initiative in creating the disturbances in Hong
Kong is being taken by the Hong Kong Communists themselves is not clear.
They are, however, being given full propaganda support by Peking and
they are also receiving substantial financial assistance. The All-China
Federation of Trade Unions gave HK$ 10 million (approx. SA. 1.5 million)
to Communist elements in Hong Kong in June, and a further IKS 10 million
in July. There have also been disturbances on the border between the
mainland and the colony which have been instigated by elements on the
mainland side. Whether Peking is planning other, more direct, forms of
intervention in Hong Kong is however at the present time difficult to