SECRET
Nanking telegram No. 1062 to Foreign Office.
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to hope that the distributors in view of probable circulation losses may hesitate to handle too many films of a type likely
I am presuming from their past experience to be refused exhibition. of course that the appropriate legislation gives censors considerable discretion.
3. [sic]. I am not aware as to extent to which Chinese Government films have suffered through Communist bans in China nor what films have been authorised or denied showings, but I would in any case advocate extreme. caution in any policy of wholesale banning of Chinese films in view of preponderance of Chinese audience in Hong Kong. Hostile propaganda might thus make capital out of this as unduly restrictive and discriminatory, whereas release of a reasonable number of Communist made films might only have a limited adverse effect upon the masses. And it is worth considering perhaps that it may be practically impossible and potentially explosive to mutual relations between Hong Kong and future China to try and sustain any embargo on films when the Chinese Communists are in control of Canton area with the result that only ready source of supply of Chinese language films would be Communist occupied territory. And it is a possible consideration that if they see too many Communist propaganda films Hong Kong audiences may tend to develop a blasé and sceptical attitude particularly when the truth begins to trickle outw rds through "Bamboo curtain".
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