302.
JB
PEK/7
The report
on
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Mis Ru send
a
com
British
CA.
Office of the British
Charge d'Affaires,
PEKING.
6 February, 1968
it is worth
Ний идела
a very
frank
reading the text in full. It is adunion (for the Chinese) that the struggle Hile has been loved
Dear Daniel
down...
Owing to the claims of the Chinese New Year, we have only translated extracts from one copy of "Reference News" Nevertheless this week. This was the issue of 6 January.
this particular newspaper contains several items of interest.
Mr. Wilsm
20 From our point of view the most important article is the one on Hong Kong. This is the first one which we have seen in "Reference News" but we have only been receiving them regularly for a fairly short time. The report significantly enough quotes "reactionary newspapers" which inevitably show the communist
The account mentions the fact struggle in a rather poor light. that there is now a detente in the Colony. Although an intelligent cadre might have guessed as much from the absence of reports dn Hong Kong in the official press, it is interesting to see the phrase in black and white. The account contains some flattering details for the Communist organisations in Hong Kong. a long passage describing their allegedly experienced and disciplined organisation. The report also says that there is only one possible topic for talks between the British Government and the Chinese the takeover of Hong Kong. But the general impression left by the account is that the Hong Kong struggle has now been significantly reduced.
There is
3. There have been several oblique attacks on Cuba in previous issues of the Reference News. This time we have another gloomy review of the Cuban economy which appears to be stagnating on all fronts. It will be interesting to see whether the recent purge of pro-Moscow communists in Havana will soften the Chinese line on Castro. The reference to Chinese aid for Thai rebels is also of interest.' This is the second such report that we have seen. Of course the mere fact that the Miao and other tribesmen are reported in the "Reference News" to have received Chinese weapons does not necessarily mean that these reports are true. Although the Chinese may be supplying weapons, they could equally well be taking advantage of a piece of free propaganda provided by the Thai authorities.
I am copying this letter to Frank Brewer (J.R.D.), Kathleen Draycott (I.R.D.), Emrys Davies and Leslie Smith in Hong Kong, Roy Spendlove in Washington and Chanceries at Havana, and Bangkok.
Yours
ever,
+
RECEIVED IN ARCHIVES No.31
1 → FEB 1963
-
apy of the day! (ir Gamindra) Leward
تقالته
D. C. Wilson, Esq.,
(L. V. APPLEYARD)
tel
3.
Far Eastern Department.
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