TNAG-0027-FCO40-63-Relations-with-China-1968 — Page 90

CONFIDENTIAL

Cypher/Cat A

IMMEDIATE PEKING TO FOREIGN OFFICE

Toho 298

CONFIDENTIAL

2 December, 1967

179

REF.

178

**F.

18091829229

Addressed to Foreign Office telegram No. 298 of 2 December. Repeated for information to:

Hong Kong Washington.

My immediately preceding telegrams.

POLAD Singapore

This is a bad setback. It is possible Chinese have been

Kao did not double-crossing us from the beginning but I doubt that. deny that Hsueh had given some kind of an assurance on 27 November and made it pretty clear that it was subsequent events, or at any rate the impact of recent events, which had led to a hardening in Chinese attitude. At one point he even admitted that it was Chinese Government's wish to normalise relations. This thesis is supported [gr undec.] last minute substitution of Kao for Hsueh who had given me assurance and would therefore have been in an embarrassing position. The cancellation of Chipp's [sic] interview with Bank of China in Hong Kong is also added support.

2. As usual the Chinese were not forthcoming in any specific suggestions as to how we can get out of this situation except for saying that the British authorities must "stop suppressing Chinese compatriots in Hong Kong". Nor did he give me any indication as to how long the ban on visas will last.

3. My preliminary assessment is that a certain amount of time must be allowed to elapse so that these events may be forgotten. Meanwhile it is obviously essential from our point that punitive action in Hong Kong should be kept to the minimum conducive with maintenance of order. The lenient treatment of scholars and children at present

There is one other action which awaiting sentence would obviously help. might do the trick. Would it for example be possible for plaintiffs in libel action against Wen Hui Pao to say they are satisfied with judgment which has cleared their reputations and that they waive their claim for damage? If it were possible to make a gesture of this kind fairly soon I believe it might provide excuse needed by Chinese Government to get things moving again. I suspect that action against Communist newspaper is most sensitive issue and may have been last straw.

40 An important question which immediately arises is that of desirability of publicity. As you will have seen from my immediately preceding telegram I made some quite harsh remarks about the

They would I presume be Chinese Governments holding us to ransom. sensitive to publication of this. Nevertheless I feel for the moment

Certainly if there it would be better to hold this weapon in reserve.

is any hope of making a gesture to them about Wen Hui Pao as suggested above, it would be easier for them to act if public posture had not already been adopted. It would also be easier for us to make gesture. For the time being therefore I strongly recommend that no official statement be made and that if anything has to be

said it should be confined to a statement that no visas have yet been issued.

/Foreign Office

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