TNAG-0031-FCO40-67-Relations-with-China-1968 — Page 22

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exercise of a relatively severe nature.

We do not know whether it was instigated

by Peking (or Canton) or whether it

started at the initiative of the Hong

Kong Communists and later attracted a

measure of support from China.

The

confrontation demonstrated, however, that

the Hong Kong Government were able and

prepared to use a degree of force in

dealing with it and could count on solid

backing from the Chinese population

sufficient to discourage the Chinese

Government from thinking that they would

have an easy victory. At that point the

main line of Chinese policy ((c) above)

reasserted itself and at that point also,

relations between China and Hong Kong

returned to normal, which is what they

are now.