TNAG-0028-FCO40-64-Relations-with-China-1968 — Page 110

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Cypher/Cat A

HO KONG TO COMMONWEALTH OFFICE

Telno 148

SECRET

5 February 1968

TOP COP.

Addressed to Peking telegram No. 49 of 3 February. Repeated for information to Commonwealth Office.

182) My telegram No. 45: Gifts from Kwang tung. *£

We know

that the Executive Committee of the Federation of Trades Unicus met on 30 January to discuss the distribution of rice and winter clothing. Inter alia it was agreed that representatives of the Chinese Red Cross should be invited to come to Hong Kong to supervise the distribution and doctors from China to examine the prisoners.

2. No mention of these last points was made in the reports of the

meeting which appeared in the local Communist newspapers.

It was, however, reported (accurately) that the first step would be the registration by Union organisations of persons qualifying for assistance. The distribution does not, therefore, seem imminent.

3. Any attempt by the Chinese to send representatives from Kwangtung with attendant publicity to supervise distributions of this sort would raise difficult problems for us. But it is as yet uncertain whether the Kwangtung authorities will accept the proposals of the Hong Kong Federation of Trades Unions.

Foreign Office pass Peking 49.

Sir D. Trench

282

289A

[Repeater as requested)

DEPARTMENTAI, DISTRIBUTION

H.K. Dept.

J.I.P.G.D.

J.I.R.D.

J.I.A.D.

News Dept.. O.L.A.

F.0.

F.E.D.

THIS IS A COPY

HWB/2

THE OFICIAL HAS BEEN RETAINED IN THE DEPARTMENT UNDER SECTION 364) OF THE PUBLIC RECORDS ACT 1958

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