48
PEKING TO FOREIGN OFFICE
En Clair
IMMEDIATE
Telno. 487 16 May 1967
UNCLASSIFIED
Addressed to Foreign Office telegram No. 487 of 16 May Repeated for information to Hong Kong, POLAD Singapore and Washington.
Demonstrations against this Mission began on night of 15 May and were resumed on a bigger scale this morning. There is a small static group at the gates of the Office and of my house and a constant procession of demonstrators passing along the road.
2.
The walls of Chancery, my house, staff quarters and many other parts of Peking are liberally plastered with posters supporting the Chinese Foreign Ministry statement and condemning activities of British and Hong Kong Governments. Slogans, some in English, include "Down with Wilson", "The Debt of Blood Must be Paid". Loudspeaker vans are also broadcasting continually.
3. The Chinese staff and personal servants have ceased work and joined the demonstrators. Some of the Chinese staff asked me or a member of Chancery to receive a petition at the main gate. I sent a message to leave their petitions at the Guards' desk, after which one of our interpreters read out the protest in the name of the Chinese staff over the loudspeakers.
40 Peters, who was in Canton for the closing of the Trade Fair walked out of the final reception when the Chinese speaker referred to the Hong kong disturbances in similar terms to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs statement.
5. There are slogans and demonstrations outside the Shanghai Office and Hewitt has received a telephone message from the Shanghai Foreign Affairs Department expressing resolute support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs statement warning him to expect to receive protests and calling on him to "show a correct attitude".
Mr. Hopson
Sent 04452/16 May Received 0620/16 May
FO/CO/WH/DISTRIBUTION
F.E.D.
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