TNAG-0028-FCO40-64-Relations-with-China-1968 — Page 107

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IMMEDIATE

HWAY //

TOP COM

CONFIDENTIAL

HONG KONG TO COMMONWEALTH OFFICE

HW

Telno 150

3 February, 1968

CONFIDENTIAL

Addressed to Commonwealth Office telegram No. 150 of 3 February, Repeated for information to Peking.

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Your telegram No. 192: Communist Prisoners.

Following would be our proposed scheme of operations:

(a) We would put the two prisoners into solitary confinement and ask them to sign a statement broadly on the following lines:

I

., as a supporter of the Chinese People's Government, have given great thought to my present position in H.K. and now wish to be offered the opportunity to cross the border into the Chinese People's Republic.'

We would make it clear to them at this stage that if they were released to China they would not be permitted to return to Hong Kong.

(b) Whether or not they signed, we would at once approach the China Merchants Steam Navigation Co. contact; tell him that it was our intention to release the film stars to China and that we would be presenting them at the border at a specific time and date; and ask him to inform the border authorities requesting them to accept the prisoners. If he asked us directly whether they would ever be allowed to return to H.K. from China, we would reply in the negative; but we would not volunteer the information.

(c) Unless clear and positive indication were given to us from the Chinese side that the film stars would not be accepted in China, we should present them at the border accordingly; if they were refused, we would return them to detention.

to.

(a) There is a possibility that the Communists might demand to interview the prisoners before indicating whether or not they would accept them. This we would have to refuse.

CONFIDENTIAL

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/(e) We would