New China News Agency (NCNA) about prison
visits. I attach a draft telegram in which
the Commonwealth Office concur.
BACKGROUND
137 The Chinese first raised the question of
the film stars in a conversation with
Sir Donald Hopson on 31 December in referring
to a report that they latter were to be deported
to Taiwan. The film stars are under detention
in Hong Kong in connection with the recent troubles
in the Colony. In January Sir D. Hopson
advocated a major act of clemency in Hong Kong
including the release of left-wing prisoners as a means of improving 8ino/British relations
and easing the position of Mr. Grey and the
Mission. The Governor of Hong Kong saw grave
dangers in releasing prisoners in the Colony,
but was prepared to agree to release prisoners
on deportation to China in fairly large
numbers if this was thought to be helpful.
The two film stars were considered good
candidates and it was therefore agreed that
they should be used as a test case.
If the
Chinese accepted them this might open the way
to an eventual exchange of Mr. Grey for NCNA
representatives.
4.
It was agreed that the film stars should
be taken to the border and left on the bridge
so that they could cross to China if they so
wished and if the Chinese would accept them,
Although they had shown no unwillingness to return to China, they had earlier refused to
give any written or oral agreement to deportation. A few days before the operation
/the Hong Kong
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