TNAG-0027-FCO40-63-Relations-with-China-1968 — Page 92

. CONFIDENTIAL

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IMMEDIATE PEKING TO FOREIGN OFFICE

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Telno. 297

2 December 1967

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CONFIDENTIAL

Addressed to F.0. telegram No. 297 of 2 December. Repeated for information to:

Hong Kong, POLAD Singapore and Washington.

My immediately preceding telegram.

After referring to my conversation with Mr. Hsueh on 27 November I set out our immediate visa requests and explained to Mr. Kao our wish to facilitate orderly transfer to and from the British Offices. We had had no reply however to our requests for visas for 2 December. Could he give me some indication of the Chinese Government's inten- tions?

2. Mr. Kao replied that the basic problem in the normalization of Sino-British relations was Hong Kong. Original visa problem between the two sides had been dealt with in the usual way; but now an abnormal situation had been created for which the British bore the responsibility. In order to normalize relations the Chinese side had done many things. But recently after the Chinese Government had done these things the Hong Kong British authorities had intensified their persecution of compatriots in Hong Kong. They had recently closed a Chinese High School and raided four other schools.

A Hong Kong court had given an illegal decision against Ide [sic] Hui Pan. In view of this the Chinese Government could not but doubt the sincerity of the expressed wishes of the British Government to normalize relations. Therefore he had no fresh news to give us on our request.

3. I explained briefly that there had been many bomb incidents recently in Hong Kong result of which many citizens including children had been hurt. The reason the police had entered the Chinese school was that there had been an explosion inside and in fact a pupil was found who had been trying to make a bomb and had blown off his own hand. As regards Wen Fi Pao, it had published serious libels against citizens of Hong Kong who had brought a civil action against the new- paper. It was quite normal in accordance with the evidence brought forward during the trip that the newspaper should be found guilty of libel, The responsibility Jey with those who had instigated the libel and terrorist acts

4. I continued that in view of what Mr. Kao had said I had to ask whether the Chinese Government intended to keep me and my staff as hostages for political reasons. Their action in refusing exit visas trangressed the Norms of International Law and ignored the humanitarian considerations. I referred for urgent medical reasons for which we were seeking visas firs. Blishen, M. Gallagher and Mrs Peters and repeated my question wht were the intentions of the Chinese Govern- ment? We had a right to know.

5. Mr. Kao replied with the usual theme of alleged British persecution of the Chinese in Hong Kong. How could we reconcile such persecution with International Law and humanity? We were not qualified to speak on these subjects.

CONETDENTIAT

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