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Document is the Propang
Panic Majesty's Guvern.J.
Copy No. 20
PMV(W)(67)16a.
30 May, 1967
1.
VISIT OF THE PRIME MINISTER TO
CANADA AND WASHINGTON 1967
CHINA AND HONG KONG
Supplementary Brieftby the Foreign Office
Talking Points
The Chinese continue to insist on Britain's acceptance
of their "demands" on Hong Kong. There have, however, been
no important developments in our relations with Peking
since last Wednesday, 24 May, when, following the unilateral
annulment by the Chinese Government of the arrangement by
which we kept an officer in Shanghai, we withdrew Mr. Hewitt
and his family to Peking. The sharp message of protest
Mr. Brown sent to the Chinese Foreign Minister was not
accepted. There have been renewed demonstrations outside
our Office in Peking but these have not resulted in violence.
2. We considered the possibility of retaliating against
the Chinese for closing our Shanghai Office and for maltreat-
ing our officials. There were three main steps we could
take:
(a)
to break diplomatic relations;
(b) to declare personae non gratae members
of their diplomatic mission here; or
(c) to close the London Office of the New
China News Agency.
We decided against (a) because we believe that the present
political situation in China will almost certainly change
"änd we want to maintain our presence there. Against (b)
was the certainty that the Chinese would retaliats, leading
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